NFHS SOFTBALL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2026
Change (Name/#/Add Sub) to the lineup card after it has been made official - ANS Penalty:
1st: Warning
2nd: Coach Restricted to bench
Illegal Substitute (Rule 3-4, P. 34 Sect. 4) - ANS Penalty:
1) Player restricted to bench
2) Art. 1 A & C: If player is on base, at bat, or is the courtesy runner; she is also called out.
Illegal Defensive Sub (Rule 3-4 Art. 3) - ANS Penalty:
1) Sub involved with a batted ball=restricted to bench; offense has option of taking result or
accepting penalty (out nullified & Runners return)
2) If another legal pitch is thrown, all play stands and illegal sub is restricted to bench
3) Anytime an illegal sub handles the ball and it does not alter the play/no one is put out; play
stands and illegal sub is restricted.
A coach physically assists a runner during live ball action. (8-6-5) - ANS Penalty:Runner is out
and ball remains live.
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
1
, Offensive Interference with a fielder attempting to make a play on a batter/runner (3-5 art. 5) -
ANS Penalty:
a) The ball is dead.
b) Runner closest to home is out
c) All runners not out return to last base touched at time of interference
Offensive player interferes with a fair batted ball or foul fly ball (3-5-Art. 6)
(7-4-12; 7-5-4; 8-6-16) - ANS Penalty: Ball is dead immediately and batter is out.
a) If interference prevented a possible DP, batter and runner closest to home are out. other
runners return to last base touched at time of interference.
Defensive player fakes a tag (Obstruction 8-4-3b) - ANS Penalty:
a) Delayed Dead ball
b) If obstructed runner is put out before reaching a base she would've reached, ball is declared
dead and all runners are awarded the base(s) they would've reached.
c) Team warning issued; A 2nd offender is restricted to bench
Charged Conferences: Defense(3-7)
**When either team has a charged conference, the other team may also conference
(uncharged)** - ANS Defense:
a) Each team is granted 3 defensive conferences per 7 innings without penalty.
b) Extra Innings: each team is allowed 1 additional conference per inning.
***Time granted for an injured player is not a charged conference.
***If the pitcher is removed it is not a charged conference
c) Request for a charged conference beyond the allowed (3 for 7innings/1 per extra inning) = P
must be removed as pitcher for the rest of the game
Charged Conferences: Offense (3-7)
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2026
Change (Name/#/Add Sub) to the lineup card after it has been made official - ANS Penalty:
1st: Warning
2nd: Coach Restricted to bench
Illegal Substitute (Rule 3-4, P. 34 Sect. 4) - ANS Penalty:
1) Player restricted to bench
2) Art. 1 A & C: If player is on base, at bat, or is the courtesy runner; she is also called out.
Illegal Defensive Sub (Rule 3-4 Art. 3) - ANS Penalty:
1) Sub involved with a batted ball=restricted to bench; offense has option of taking result or
accepting penalty (out nullified & Runners return)
2) If another legal pitch is thrown, all play stands and illegal sub is restricted to bench
3) Anytime an illegal sub handles the ball and it does not alter the play/no one is put out; play
stands and illegal sub is restricted.
A coach physically assists a runner during live ball action. (8-6-5) - ANS Penalty:Runner is out
and ball remains live.
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
1
, Offensive Interference with a fielder attempting to make a play on a batter/runner (3-5 art. 5) -
ANS Penalty:
a) The ball is dead.
b) Runner closest to home is out
c) All runners not out return to last base touched at time of interference
Offensive player interferes with a fair batted ball or foul fly ball (3-5-Art. 6)
(7-4-12; 7-5-4; 8-6-16) - ANS Penalty: Ball is dead immediately and batter is out.
a) If interference prevented a possible DP, batter and runner closest to home are out. other
runners return to last base touched at time of interference.
Defensive player fakes a tag (Obstruction 8-4-3b) - ANS Penalty:
a) Delayed Dead ball
b) If obstructed runner is put out before reaching a base she would've reached, ball is declared
dead and all runners are awarded the base(s) they would've reached.
c) Team warning issued; A 2nd offender is restricted to bench
Charged Conferences: Defense(3-7)
**When either team has a charged conference, the other team may also conference
(uncharged)** - ANS Defense:
a) Each team is granted 3 defensive conferences per 7 innings without penalty.
b) Extra Innings: each team is allowed 1 additional conference per inning.
***Time granted for an injured player is not a charged conference.
***If the pitcher is removed it is not a charged conference
c) Request for a charged conference beyond the allowed (3 for 7innings/1 per extra inning) = P
must be removed as pitcher for the rest of the game
Charged Conferences: Offense (3-7)
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2
