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College softball base stealing rules explained for 2024 NCAA Softball Tournament, WCWS

ehsan kassim, usa today network
·4 min read

With the start of the NCAA Softball Tournament regional round, the path to the Road to the Women's College World Series is underway.

The regional round is followed by the super regional, then the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The WCWS then culminates in a three-game championship series to determine the national champion. Led by Patty Gasso, the Oklahoma Sooners are looking for a four-peat.

MORE: Watch the 2024 Women's College World Series with Fubo (free trial)

The college baseball playoffs won't be far behind, setting up an interesting time for fans of the two sports in May and June. While the two sports have a similar fanbase, there are many differences in how the two sports are played. One of the biggest ones is how to steal a base: In baseball, it's more straightforward, while softball has a little wrinkle which, on the surface, makes it seem harder to steal a base.

Here's what you need to know about stolen bases in softball and how it differs from baseball:

What is a stolen base?

According to rule 14.13 in the NCAA rulebook, this is what qualifies as a stolen base:

"An action initiated by the offense when the base runner attempts to advance unaided on a pitch. The base runner is credited with a stolen base when she advances a base unaided by a safe hit, putout, error, force, fielder’s choice, illegal pitch, wild pitch, base on balls, hit batter, passed ball, interference or obstruction.

College softball base stealing rules

In college baseball, base runners get a chance to lead off the base, going as far as they feel they are comfortable without being picked off by the pitcher. There is no limitation on how far and when they can lead off. However, in softball, a runner is not allowed to run until the ball reaches the catcher.

According to Rule 12.14.2:

"A base runner may not leave the base they attained until the pitcher releases the pitch to the batter. A base runner must be in contact with their base at the time a pitch leaves the pitcher’s hand. Exception: When the pitcher (1) does not allow sufficient time for a base runner to return to a base or (2) delays their release in order to deceive the runner into leaving early, the base runner shall not be called out for being off the base before the pitcher releases the pitch."

The reason for this is simply the difference in the amount of space in between the bases. On the baseball diamond, the base paths are 90 feet apart, and a throw from the back point of the home plate to the center of the second base is 99 feet. In softball, the bases are 60 feet and a throw from home to second is 84 feet and 10 1/4 inches.

With the shorter distance to second base, base runners in softball are not allowed to take off for a stolen base until the pitcher has thrown the ball.

REQUIRED READING: NCAA Softball Tournament bracket: Schedule, TV channels, streaming, scores for Road to WCWS

2024 NCAA softball stolen base leaders

The stricter rules in softball of leading off may lead one to believe that steals are less prevalent in softball than in baseball. That is not the case. Players often reach 30-plus stolen bases in a season, with one player this season eclipsing 40 stolen bases.

Here's a look at college softball's leading base stealers heading into the 2024 NCAA Tournament:

  • 1. Denver Lauer, USC Upstate: 42 stolen bases

  • 2. Mackenzie Fitzgerald, Tennessee Tech: 41 stolen bases

  • 3. Kaliyah Gipson, Jackson State: 40 stolen bases

  • 4. Megan Delgadillo, Cal. State Fullerton: 38 stolen bases

  • 5. Anna Dethlefson, UC Davis: 36 stolen bases

  • 6. Chelie Senini, Nevada: 35 stolen bases

  • T7. Lily Bell, Western Colorado: 34 stolen bases

  • T7. Eli Enriquez, Toledo: 34 stolen bases

  • 9. Emily Daniel, Dayton: 33 stolen bases

  • T10. Skylar Wallace, Florida: 32 stolen bases

  • T10. Marissa Montelongo, St. Mary's (Cal.): 32 stolen bases

Stealing home in softball

With the runner not being able to run until the pitch is thrown and the ball arriving directly at home plate, it would be easy to assume an exciting play like we see sometimes in baseball of the steal of home plate might be impossible to pull off.

That is, however, not the case.

In the 2023 Seattle Super Regional, Washington's Brooklyn Carter helped the Huskies take a 2-0 lead in the top of the seventh while already leading the series 1-0. In softball, the ball isn't dead until the pitcher has it in the circle. Carter smartly recognized that, broke for the plate, and scored.

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: College softball base stealing rules for NCAA Softball Tournament, WCWS