Field The infield is a -square, with a base in every corner. The fair territory is a -square, with one of the corners coinciding with the home plate (the final base). The batter's box is a -square. It is placed outside of the fair territory and is built on the extension of the two
foul lines (which distinguish fair and foul territory, and sit in fair territory) crossing each other at the home plate corner; the lines are included as part of the batter's box area.
Offense The Visitor team starts the game in offense, with the Home team on defense. The goal of the offensive team is to have each of its players hit the ball and then run counterclockwise around all four bases in order without being eliminated by the defense, thus scoring one
run for their team. The act of hitting takes place while a hitter is entirely in the batter's box; the hitter must not step out of the lines until the hit ball reaches fair territory, and must first signal which hand they will hit with. The ball has to be hit hard either with a palm or a fist, and then its first bounce has to be at a minimum distance of from home plate (i.e. not in the "no-hit zone") and in fair ground, with the ball then required to eventually be either touched by a defender or reach the outfield fence. If these requirements are not met, or if the ball goes into foul territory before passing first or third base, then the batter is out. The batter in the action of running towards first base, after putting the ball in play, has to touch the base in foul territory (the "safety base") except in circumstances where a collision could be avoided by going toward the base in fair territory. In order to stay
safe, the batter has to remain in the area included within the safety base and the -safe area extension attached to it in foul territory, though if they advance towards second base, then they can only return afterwards to first base by touching the base in fair territory.
Scoring runs A runner (offensive player) who touches first base, second base, third base and home plate in that order scores one run for their team, and then leaves the field until their next turn as a hitter. When scoring, a runner must step on the safety plate rather than home plate, which is reserved for the defenders in order to avoid collisions. However, a run can not be scored during a play where the third out in the inning is made by: • the batter-runner before reaching first base • a runner who is forced out (i.e. the runner was required to reach the next base but failed to) • a preceding (further-advanced) runner is declared out for failing to touch one of the bases.
Offensive self-elimination How the offensive players eliminate themselves due to illegal behaviors/actions: • The batter is eliminated if they fail to legally hit the ball by: • stepping outside of the batter's box lines before the hit ball enters fair territory (i.e. passes the no-hit zone) • hitting the ball on its first bounce into foul territory or in the “no-hit” zone • hitting the ball in such a way that it bounces fair and then goes into foul territory before passing first or third base • completely missing the ball in the attempt of hitting • intentionally faking to hit the ball • not making a hit ball touch the fair ground before touching the fences or going above the fences • not giving the hit ball enough momentum to reach the outfield fence (i.e. the boundary of fair territory which is beyond the infield) after its first bounce(s), unless it is touched by a defender • not respecting the
batting order and hitting in place of a teammate • A
baserunner is eliminated by: • being hit by a legally hit ball • leaving their base
before the batter hits the ball • passing a teammate while in the action of running the bases • being
tagged while they and other runner(s) are on the same base in a non-force situation. The one who batted most recently shall be called "out" • diving or sliding in the attempt to safely reach a base or in the attempt to avoid a tag Note: If a play occurs where the batter failed to legally hit the ball, then the play is canceled (i.e. any runners who got out or advanced around the bases during the play return to their bases as if the play never happened) and the batter is eliminated.
Special batting order situation In a situation with bases loaded and two outs (two offensive players having been eliminated), if the runner at third base has to be the next hitter in the batting order, the runners at first and second bases each advance one base, the runner on third base goes to hit, and a pinch runner is placed on first base. In teams with only five players, the first player "called out" (eliminated) in that inning becomes pinch runner on the base of the runner who is required to hit. The batting order and the gender balance (in mixed-gender competitions) shall always be respected.
Defense The five players (1st Base, 2nd Base, Midfielder, Shortstop, and 3rd Base, from right to left) of the defensive team shall all be in fair territory when the batter hits the ball.
Elimination methods How the defense makes "
outs" (eliminates offensive players) using the ball: • By touching the base (while in possession of the ball) to which a runner is "
forced" to run • (The batter is always forced to run to first base, and any runner must run to the next base if they are on a base to which a teammate is forced to run.) • By
catching a hit ball before it touches the ground (this eliminates the batter). • If a catch occurs that gets the batter out, all runners must
return to or remain on the bases they were on before the catch, and only then can they continue advancing around the bases; otherwise, a defender holding the ball can touch the base the runner started from to get them out. • By
tagging a runner when he/she is not on a base (touching the ball, held in the defensive player's hand, to the runner)
Ball leaving the field The ball remains live if a defender with the ball leaves the field, so long as they secured possession of the ball in fair territory. each runner is awarded an extra base (i.e. the batter goes to 2nd base, and all other runners advance 2 bases as well). Any runner who clearly advanced 2 bases before the defensive error may be granted an extra base as well (i.e. a runner on 1st who advanced to 3rd before the error can be awarded home plate). However, no extra base is awarded for a ball leaving the field for any other reason (i.e. the batter only goes to 1st base if the hit ball rebounds out of play off a defender.)
End of the game The game ends at the end of the fifth inning if one team has scored more runs than the opponent. Should the Home Team be ahead on the score after the Guest Team has completed its fifth offensive inning, the game is over and the Home Team wins. Many B5 tournaments feature best-of-three series known as "matches" or "games", with each individual game in the series called a "game" or "set", and the team winning two sets being the winner of the overall match.
Tiebreaker In case of a tie game, the teams shall play and complete
extra inning(s) until one team scores more runs than the opponent. In the sixth inning, the player scheduled to hit fifth (i.e. the player who batted last in the fifth inning, and whose name precedes the first batter of the sixth inning) is placed on first base as a runner to start the inning. In the seventh inning, the players scheduled to hit fifth and fourth are placed on first and second base respectively, and so on with three runners to start the following innings until the game ends. By WBSC regulations, the game ends if there is still a tie after 7 extra innings.
Run-ahead rule A game is
over if a team leads by 15 runs at the end of the third inning or by 10 at the end of the fourth. == Differences from baseball and softball ==