International Tiebreaker (Fast-Pitch)
Also known as: international tiebreaker, international tie breaker, ITB softball, softball tie-breaker rule, runner on second in extra innings, extra innings in fastpitch
The international tiebreaker is the extra-inning rule in USA Softball fast pitch. If the game is tied after seven innings, or when a youth game's time limit runs out. Each half inning starts with a runner on second base. That runner is the player due to bat last in the inning, the hitter just before the leadoff batter. Teams keep playing full innings until one wins.
USA Softball calls it the Tie-Breaker Rule (Rule 5, Section 11). It applies in women's and Junior Olympic girls' fast pitch, among other divisions. Starting with the top of the eighth inning, or with the next inning after a Junior Olympic time limit expires, the offense begins each half inning with a runner on second base. The runner is the player scheduled to bat last in that half inning. If the number five hitter leads off, the number four hitter starts on second. A substitute may run in her place.
If the wrong player is put on second, there is no penalty; the umpire corrects it, even after a pitch. In scoring, a run by the player who started on second is charged to the defensive team, not to the pitcher.
Starting with a runner in scoring position changes strategy. Many coaches bunt her to third with no outs, so a fly ball or a ground ball can score her. High school and college games use their own extra-inning rules, so check the rulebook for your event.
Tips by skill level
Before extra innings, check who is due up. The player just before your leadoff hitter goes to second.
Plan your tiebreaker inning before the game: who bunts, who runs for the placed runner, and how your defense plays a runner on second with no outs.
Example
The number six hitter is due to lead off the eighth inning, so the number five hitter starts on second base. The leadoff hitter bunts her to third, and a fly ball to center scores her.
Why it matters
Extra innings often come down to one or two plays. Knowing who starts on second and how to move her up decides many tournament games.
Common mistakes
- Putting the wrong player on second base
- Forgetting that a time limit can start the tiebreaker before seven innings in youth play
- Swinging away with no outs when moving the runner to third is the plan
- Charging the run scored by the placed runner to the pitcher
Frequently asked questions
What is the international tiebreaker in softball?
It is the extra-inning rule in USA Softball fast pitch. Each half inning after the seventh, or after a youth time limit expires, starts with a runner on second base.
Who starts on second base in the international tiebreaker?
The player scheduled to bat last in that half inning, which is the hitter just before the leadoff batter in the order. A substitute may run for her.
When does the tiebreaker start in fastpitch?
Under USA Softball rules, at the top of the eighth inning if the game is tied after seven. In Junior Olympic games with a time limit, it starts with the next inning after time expires.
How do extra innings work in fastpitch?
Under USA Softball rules, if the game is tied after seven innings, extra innings use the tiebreaker. Each team starts its half inning with a runner on second base, and play continues by full innings until one team wins.
Is the tiebreaker runner an earned run?
Under USA Softball scoring guidance, a run by the player who started on second is charged to the defensive team, not to the pitcher.
Sources
- USA Softball, Official Rules of Softball 2026, Rule 5 Sec. 11 (Tie-Breaker Rule: divisions, start of the eighth inning, runner placed on second), p. 59
- USA Softball, Official Rules of Softball 2026, Rules Supplement #54 (Tiebreaker Rule: wrong runner corrected; placed runner's run charged to the team, not the pitcher), p. 151
- USA Softball, Official Rules of Softball 2026, Rule 5 Sec. 10 (time limit; tie-breaker starts the next inning), p. 58
Related terms
- Sacrifice BuntA sacrifice bunt is a soft tap into play, made on purpose to advance a baserunner. The batter trades their own out for a runner moving into scoring position.
- Small Ball StrategySmall ball strategy is a team offensive philosophy that prioritizes manufacturing single runs through bunts, steals, hit-and-runs, and sacrifice plays rather than waiting for extra-base hits.
- Manufacturing RunsManufacturing runs is the execution of a sequence of small offensive actions — walks, bunts, steals, contact hits, and productive outs — that collectively score a run without requiring extra-base power.
- Squeeze Bunt (Fast-Pitch)In fast-pitch, a squeeze bunt is called with a runner on third. The short 40-to-43-foot distance makes it unusually risky, with no time to react to the pitch.
- Situational HittingSituational hitting is adjusting your approach to the game: score, inning, count, runners, and outs. The goal is to give your team the best chance to score.
- Mercy Rule (Fast-Pitch)The mercy rule ends a game early when one team is far ahead; USA Softball calls it the run-ahead rule. In women's and Junior Olympic fast pitch, the game ends when a team leads by 15 runs after three innings, 12 after four, or 8 after five. If the visiting team reaches the margin in the top half, the home team still bats in the bottom half.
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