Veterans of Montgomery County leagues that play on a regional park have long used the safety bases. The Media League playoffs, always held at a regional park, have used these bases in the postseason for a number of years.

But using the safety bases on a local park, such as the game fields the Media League plays on during the regular season, is a first in the county, I believe. So it’s especially important for players to get acclimated to the things you can do, and the things you can’t do, with regards to the safety base.

The safety base is an additional base sitting adjacent to the first-base bag in foul territory. The safety base is generally orange so everyone involved in the play can see it clearly. However, since the Media League supplies its own bases I am guessing most teams will just use an additional white base.

Obviously, the goal of the safety base is for the batter/baserunner to have a base that he touches without the risk of getting into a collision or accident with the first baseman while he’s trying to catch the ball at the bag.

Note: The batter/baserunner is a player who has completed their turn at bat but has yet to reach first base. The baserunner is someone who has reached first base.

The safety base rules state simply that if a play is at first base, either on a batted ball from the infield or outfield, a batter/baserunner will be called out for use of the white (left) portion of the double safety bag. However, if the white and orange bags are both touched there is no penalty.

If no play is made at first base, the batter/baserunner may touch the white portion of the double bag and make their turn toward second. Or the batter/baserunner could overrun the bag as they would have done before we had double bases at first.

With a baserunner on first and a fly ball is hit, the white (left) portion of the two bags must be used for tagging up and returning.

A baserunner on first must maintain contact with the white (left) portion of the double bags until the pitch reaches the plate, just like you are accustomed with regular softball bases. But they would be called out if they were only maintaining contact with the orange bag.

But, on a play back at first after a line drive or fly ball, the batter/baserunner is out if the fielder touches both bags before the batter/baserunner returns to the white porton of the bag. If the fielder touches the orange bag ONLY the batter/baserunner is safe.

The exception? If a throw pulls the fielder into foul territory the batter/baserunner may, without penalty, use the white portion of the double bag and the fielder may use the orange portion. This is to prevent a collision or tripping of the batter/baserunner caused by the fielder extending their leg across to the orange bag to contact the white bag. This exception is only permissible on the initial play at first base.

Here’s a good question:

If a player hits a single and uses the safety base, but then the defense overthrows the first baseman, does the batter have to backtrack and touch the regular base before trying to make it to second?

Answer: No, the baserunner may continue toward second but if they realize they are older and slower than first thought, the option is returniing to the white portion of the double safety bag. This would be true if after overrunning first using the orange bag, a play at the plate or elsewhere allowed the baserunner to attempt to advance, no tagging of the white bag would be necessary.

No doubt it will take some players and teams some time to get acclimated to the safety base. The umpires have been asked to be lenient in enforcing the rule until the novelty wears off. Coaches and game officials should openly discuss the safety base rule in the pre-game meeting so everyone understands.

But if a runner has received warnings on his first two at-bats and repeats the violation, he just might be called out, especially if contact occurs with the fielder.

The double bag is covered on page 41 of the 2007 NSA Rule Book, which you should have along your supply of game balls and scorebooks from the county.

Best wishes to the Media League on its 17^th season and I look forward to seeing all of you again this year.

Veteran umpire Dick Shinnick, who has called MMSL games since the league's inception in 1991, is the rules clinician for the Maryland Softball Umpires Association. In his 33rd year as a softball umpire, he has called more than 7,000 games.

Other “Ask the Ump” Columns
Touching the Bases on the Walk Rule
Dimensions of the Bases
The Automatic Out
Slide, Kelly, Slide
The Issue of Free Substitution
Batting In the Wrong Place of the Order