When does seven innings not constitute a game or three strikes not constitute an out in an NCAA softball game?

Hopefully never, but it's not out of the question from September through December.

That's because NCAA Bylaw 17.31 allows for the suspension of normal playing rules for the nontraditional season in any sport, which for softball is the fall. The suspension of a few playing rules has been an accepted practice to allow coaches an opportunity to use different lineups and provide learning experiences for players.

"The fall is a great teaching time," said Dee Abrahamson, secretary-rules editor for the NCAA Softball Rules Committee and former coach at Northern Illinois. "I would always talk it over with the other coach beforehand and try different people in different positions throughout the game."

The playing-rules exception in the NCAA manual allows for softball teams to use free substitution, football teams to play spring scrimmages and basketball teams to engage in contests with international squads. It allows coaches to agree on rules changes that may provide additional experience for young players and the ability for coaches to experiment with roster changes from the previous year.

The most common rules changes used by coaches in the fall include substitution and nu mber of batters in a lineup.

"We use open substitution (in the fall)," said Lisa Navas, head coach at Barry University and chair of the Division II Softball Committee. "The other coach and I usually discuss it before the game and agree. We aren't really concerned with wins in the fall and just want the opportunity to play."

Playing multiple student-athletes at a single position during the course of the game allows coaches to evaluate players' strengths and weaknesses in the field and their knowledge of the game.

"It wasn't uncommon for me to stop the game (during the fall) and talk to my players about what they should have done in a situation," Abrahamson said. "We would be in a run-down situation or something, and when it was over, I would ask the other coach if we could do it again to see if we could get it right."

It also is not uncommon for coaches to bat everyone on the team rather than just a rotation of nine in order to give everyone some experience at the plate.

Question of ethics

While the use of different rules in the fall shouldn't be a problem, there is some concern that the spirit of those rules is subject to abuse.

Abrahamson said she's become aware of teams using the fall flexibility to an unusual, and perhaps unfair, advantage.

"The first question I got about it was about a year ago," she said. "It came up because of the 56-game maximum. Teams wanted to play more than they really could afford to, so they would alter the rule to play something like a 14-inning game and count it as one toward their maximum."

Fall games in softball count toward the team's maximum number of allowable contests in a year (56 for Divisions I and II, and 45 for Division III, with no more than 36 in the spring). The games don't count toward the team's won-loss record in the spring, though. For instance, a team that participated in six fall games could compete in only 50 games during the spring.

Abrahamson said other reported abuses include teams playing one continuous game for three days, halting for darkness and returning each day to finish a single game to count against the school's maximum allowable contests.

"It is somewhat of a question of ethics," Abrahamson said. "Some coaches see it as an abuse of the rule, others think it is great coaching that gives an advantage to the players."

The maximum number of contests prevents some conferences and schools from playing fall competition. Rules allowing increased game experience may further disadvantage teams who do not have a fall schedule.

"We don't play in the fall, but I think it is important to follow the rules," said Marge Willadsen, coach at Buena Vista and chair of the Division III Softball Committee. "I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be consistent and play by the rules."

Beyond whether it results in unfair competition, such inconsistency may also be a safety issue. Equipment and safety rules technically may also be altered during fall competition and umpires and coaches are becoming more concerned about liability in situations where equipment is used improperly.

"Suspending the rules to allow free substitution and additional conferences does not really affect the umpires in any negative way," said umpire Kathy Strahm. "However, suspending equipment rules is absolutely unacceptable. The equipment rules are in place to prevent unnecessary injuries to participants in the game.

"Umpires should not be placed in the position of having to insist on certain rules to protect themselves contrary to the agreement of both coaches."

Abrahamson also noted that teams could use the "rules" to their advantage in winning games, even though they don't officially count as wins. And although fall games don't count when it comes to consideration for championship selection, some schools may try to enhance fall performance in an effort to boost preseason rankings for publicity.

"It is easy to start out thinking how great free substitution would be," Abrahamson said. "But it also could mean that you could have your best player come up to bat every third batter if you wanted."

Possible changes

The Softball Rules Committee is surveying coaches and others in the softball community about whether the suspension of playing rules for the nontraditional season should continue. Survey respondents can suggest that the rules exception remain as is or that it be eliminated altogether.

"I'm in favor of one standard for the number of innings that will constitute a countable game," said Brian Kolze, head softball coach at the University of the Pacific (California). "If two common opponents agree to play in a situation other than a tournament where everything is structured, there should be a limit. If they agree on nine or 10 innings to allow each pitcher a sufficient opportunity to throw, that is one thing, but don't let it be abused by playing for three days. It sounds like everyone is interpreting it differently."

Other alternatives might be to allow for free substitution during the fall season but require that other playing rules, including equipment, be used.

"I have no problem with free substitution," Kolze said. "It is nice to be able to use a player and know that they aren't done for the game if something else comes up. That is why we play in the fall."

It would be within the rules committee's purview to add a rule indicating that playing rules must be followed during the nontraditional season to eliminate the exception listed in the bylaw, something the committee will consider at its annual meeting in June.

"In my opinion, the bylaw should be modified to allow any significant suspension of equipment or game rules," Strahm said. "In other words, three strikes should always be an out, three outs should end an at-bat and seven innings should still be a game. And whenever two teams play under the supervision of an umpire, the equipment rules must be enforced."