Which bats, helmets and other equipment are legal?

Question

Accepted Answer

Bats (1-5-1): must carry a USA Softball certification mark and must not be on the USA Softball non-approved bat list. There's no approved list to check against. The grip must run at least 10 and no more than 15 inches from the handle end; choke-up devices aren't permitted. Bat problem Penalty Damaged (dents, cracks, rattles, sharp edges) Removed with no penalty. Using it again after removal: batter out, and the player and head coach restricted to the dugout. Altered or non-approved, detected before the next pitch Batter out, batter and head coach ejected; runners return to the bases held at the time of the pitch (7-4-2). Batting helmets (1-7): required for the batter, on-deck batter, runners, retired runners and players or students in the coach's boxes. They need a permanent NOCSAE stamp, a legible exterior warning label, a non-glare surface and a NOCSAE-approved face mask. Catchers (1-8-1): NOCSAE helmet and mask combination with a throat protector. Other: metal cleats and metal toe plates are legal. NFHS softball has no jewelry ban, but you can rule on any item that's distracting or increases risk. The head coach is responsible for verifying players are legally equipped; you may inspect equipment and penalize violations.

Bat problem	Penalty
Damaged (dents, cracks, rattles, sharp edges)	Removed with no penalty. Using it again after removal: batter out, and the player and head coach restricted to the dugout.
Altered or non-approved, detected before the next pitch	Batter out, batter and head coach ejected; runners return to the bases held at the time of the pitch (7-4-2).