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Rules

 **Except as noted in the rules below, the league will adhere to Slo-Pitch National (SPN) rules**       

SPN rules can be read by following the link below. http://slo-pitch.com/sites/slo-pitch.com/files/2017_SPN-Rulebook_WEB.pdf   

      

                                                                   
I.          Equipment:
 
1. Only softball equipment will be permitted. 
2. Steel or hard plated plastic cleats are not allowed to be used.   
3. A second spike will be used to anchor both 2nd base and 3rd base.  
4. Players may only use bats supplied by the league.
5. Players may use any type of glove at any position.
6. Players should wear team shirts and hats during the games.
7. Home teams are to supply one new and one used ball per game.

8. All pitchers MUST wear a mask when pitching.
9. Batting helmets are provided for batters and base runners.  Any player may use their own helmets .  Although it is optional to wear any of these, the league strongly encourages and recommends the use of protective headgear.
10.(i) At the Community Centre:  For the 1st game of
the day, both teams are to put out the home plate and bags.  After the last game of the day both teams are to put the bases and home plate away.  Base pegs should always be taken out of the ground.  The AVSPL shares the storage room on the south side of the equipment room with the other men’s league.  We have our own wooden box there for the home plate and bases and it must be locked at all times.  Everything should fit in the box.
 
(ii) At Copetown:  The defibrillator is to be taken home by one of the teams, as outlined in the schedule, that plays the last game. That team is responsible to return it when playing the first game on the next date.

II. Playing the Game:

Conduct:
Since model sportsmanship and friendliness among all league players is our highest priority, improper behaviour, especially aggressiveness towards all other players, will not be tolerated.  Furthermore, abusive and foul language will not be tolerated.  Players may be ejected from the game for either of the above.  It is the umpire’s and/or manager’s responsibility to report unacceptable behaviour to the Executive Committee.  The Good Sportsmanship Committee, shall review this and may submit recommendations to the Executive Committee for further disciplinary action(s).           
                                                                                  
1.  All disputes or protests must be forwarded to the Executive Committee in a timely fashion.

 

III.  Mercy Rule:

  1. There will be a 6-run mercy rule per inning except for the 7th inning, which will be an open inning.
  2.  If the visiting team is winning by 8 or more runs going into the 7th inning, the home team shall bat first in that (7th) inning.  
     
  3. There will be a 15-run mercy rule after the completion of the 5th inning.
  4. Umpires will call last inning at the 80 minute mark.

 

IV.  Infield Warm Up during the Game:

To keep the game moving, only in the 1st inning shall the first ground balls to the infielders.


V. Sitting Out Rule:
     Everyone must take his turn sitting out as follows: (a) with 10 players no one sits out, (b) with 11 players, 7 players sit once, 4 players do not sit, (c) with 12 players, 10 players sit once and       two players sit twice, (d) with 13 players, 5 players sit once and 8 players sit twice and (e) with 14 players all players sit twice.  If a team doesn’t use this system it will forfeit the game.  If           an injury occurs the injured player can sit out for another player and the other team must be notified.

     Managers MUST use the league provided Game Day Line up sheet.

 

VI.  Short Handed Rule:

       If a team has fewer than 10 players available for a game, the Manager may use players of an equal rating to the missing player(s) from another team, the wait list or the spare list.  If the game is the first of the day (ie 9:30 am at Copetown or 2:00pm at ACC), a Manager may add an extra player to a maximum of 11 in case a player does not show up.  A list of all players with their ratings and positions will be sent to each manager early in the season. 

        Before ALL games, the opposing Managers are to meet before the game to share the name(s) of any player(s) they may have picked up in order to agree that the player(s) are comparable to the missing player(s).

 
VII. Infield Fly Rule:
This rule is in effect when there are fewer than two outs and there are runners on 1st and 2nd or 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The batter hitting a pop fly (that is a fair ball) that can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort will be called out although the runners may advance at their own risk.


VIII. Late Arrivals:
A player who arrives late to a game shall be allowed to play but must bat at the bottom of the order.
 
IX. Rained out game(s): 
These games will be replayed in their entirety (a) if 4 innings aren’t completed or (b) if 3 ½ innings aren’t completed with the home team ahead.  Players are to come to the diamonds expecting to play unless they receive notification thet the game has been cancelled.

X.  The Players:

1. Pitchers:
  1. In the 1st inning the pitcher will get 5 warm-up pitches as will any relief pitcher in his 1st inning.  After that each pitcher will get one warm-up pitch per inning. 
  2.  Each pitch must have a minimum arc of 6 feet and a maximum arc of 15 feet.  (The cross bar on the backstops may be used as a reference for the 15 feet.)   
 
2. Batters:
  1. In order to bat a player must play in the field, unless given special permission by the league.  
  2.   The batter is out if the catcher catches any foul tip. 

      (iii) A foul ball on the third strike is an out.  
      (iv) A batter, with a pinch runner from home, who hits a home run over the fence, will be given a home run.


3. Runners:

  1. It is the base runner’s responsibility to avoid collisions AT ALL TIMES.  (The umpire reserves the right to call a base runner safe due to an attempt to avoid a collision.)  
  2. The runner must use the orange safety bag if a play is being made at 1st base.  If he doesn’t he will be declared out.  If the 1st baseman interferes with the runner’s path to the safety bag the runner will be declared safe.
  3. Lead offs are not allowed and a runner will be declared out if he does lead off. “There is no anticipation by a base runner, prior to the batter putting the ball in play. Players may advance only on contact. If a base runner anticipates a pitch being hit and steps off a base and the batter does not make contact with the ball, the runner shall be called out.” 
  4. Courtesy runners are unlimited and may be any player in the team's lineup.  A player may only run once per inning as a courtesy runner.

       iv A  courtesy runner is allowed at any base at the request of the runner, (not the insistence of the manager).  
       v. A pinch runner from home must have a hand or foot touching the screen post to the right of home     plate. The runner from home may only go to first base. At the umpire's discretion, if a pinch runner from    home makes an intended move toward second base, the umpire will call the ball dead. The runner from home must return to first base and all other runners will advance one base from the start of the play.
 
4. Replacement Players:
 
        i. If there is a replacement player placed on a team from the waiting list as a result of an injury and the injured player returns, then the replacement player shall be returned to the waiting list.

(vii) The committee that is approved to assign a Permanent Replacement Player will do so only after the player has spared for a minimum of 2 games on a temporary basis. The committee will only assign new players on an equitable replacement basis. The assignment is not intended to try to rebalance the competitiveness of teams in mid season.

 

5) Outfield Play:

i) No direct throw to first on a hit to an outfielder.  However, the batter may be thrown out at first if the ball is first relayed to an infielder and then thrown to first.  A batter may be thrown out at first on a ball fielded by an infielder on the outfield grass.

 
XII. Umpires and the Playoffs:
 
1. Umpires:  
  i. Umpires will be provided by the Stoney Creek Umpire Association.  During the regular season, there will be one umpire.  During the playoff, there will be 2 umpires.
 
 ii Only the manager or, in his absence, his designate may debate a call. (Please do not put any undue stress on an umpire.) 
   
2. The Playoffs: 

  1. All teams make the playoffs.
  2. Short Handed Rule: Teams may start and continue a playoff game with a minimum of 9 players although the opposing team shall not supply a catcher.  There will be no automatic outs for vacant spots in the batting rotation. 
  3.  If a team is short a player, a “C” rated player (less than 30 points) may be used to bring the roster up to 10 and he may play any position.
  4. The playoffs will be a double knock out tournament held on both Saturdays and Sundays over two or more weekends.  
 For seeding purposes if teams are tied in points at
The end of the regular season (a) the team with the
most wins will get the higher position but if there is still
a tie, (b) the team with the best heads up record will get    the higher position; if there is still a tie, (c) the
 team with the greater run differential in the head to head games will get the higher position, and if there is still a tie, (d) a coin flip will determine the higher position (seeding). 
 

       v .The team with the higher seeding shall be the home team in each of the playoff games.   

      vi. A tie after 7 innings in a game will be broken using the International tie breaker rule.  ie The inning begins with one out and a runner on second.  The designated runner will be the last batter of the previous inning.  The format will continue in all subsequent innings until a winner is declared.  There is no Mercy Rule in extra innings.

     vii. The playoff schedule with dates will be posted at the beginning of the season (on the website and in the handouts) based on diamond availability provided to the league.
     viii In the event of rain, the following will apply:
a) Games will be delayed on a game by game basis until the fields are deemed playable.  The decision to delay such games will be made by the Executive Committee and the umpires. If a game is called after 4 complete innings the game will be continued at a later date from the point at which it was stopped and the same line-up must be used.
(b) The entire schedule will be pushed back for the length of the rain delay so that the order of the games is maintained.  Any games not completed will be moved to the next playoff date.
           
(c) Players are expected to be available to play the games anytime during the scheduled playoff dates since games will not necessarily be cancelled for an entire day.


XII. Rule Changes:
For a rule to be added, changed or deleted the following procedure will be used:

      i.  Potential rule changes may be submitted by any member, at any time. A suggestion box will be available during the playoffs for the submission of any rule changes or other ideas to improve the league.

     ii.  Any potential rule change will be reviewed by the

Rules Committee. They may suggest a change to
the Executive Committee who shall have the ability to add, delete or change any rules.

     i.  The Executive Committee may, at their discretion, decide to put potential rule changes to the league membership, for input or for a general vote.

         
 


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