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1. Rain Policy
2. Fielding a Team
3. Keeping Score
4. Pitching
5. Hitting
6. Base Running
7. Defense and fielding
8. Umpiring
9. Sportsmanship
1. ‘Rain’ Policy (poor weather)
a) Mississauga Slo-Pitch League (MSL) is governed by the ‘rain or shine’
policy. This means all teams must report to their field regardless of
weather conditions or be subject to default rules. For the remainder of the
rule book, rain and/or poor weather will be referred to as ‘rain’.
b) If it is ‘raining’ at game time, the umpire will instruct teams to
wait it out for at least 20 minutes before deciding to call the game. It is
at the league’s discretion to reschedule the game or not.
c) If you have a double header and the first game is called because of
rain, you must show up for the second game and see if the umpire calls the
second game.
d) If during a game it starts to ‘rain’ and the umpire calls the game,
the following rules will apply:
Once 5 innings are completed, the game is eligible for a win or a loss
in the standings.
If the game is less then five innings, the game will be recorded as a
tie.
2. Fielding a team
a) All players must sign the team roster and the roster must be at all
games. The roster must be sent by email or faxed prior to your second game.
You may add to your roster at any time during the season but any additions
must be approved by the league. Any player, not on your roster, will not be
allowed to play for your team. All players must be register in the league
in order to play (no exceptions). Any team that is short players MUST
contact the league and the league will do it’s best to provide you with
players* (please try to give as much notice as possible). Any team found
using players not on their roster, without the league’s approval, will lose
their playoff eligibility.
***Replacement players will only be provided during the regular season.
During the playoffs, teams must field players from their own roster. No
exceptions***
b) Games start at 6:30pm or 8:15pm (late start games). There is a
10-minute grace period to allow for the minimum players needed to arrive or
the team short players will default. No grace will be granted if each team
has eight players ready to play. If there is a late game on your field, no
inning may start after 8:05pm and will end no later then 8:15pm to allow
the 8:15 pm teams to take the field at their scheduled time. In other
words, if you start late, games must be shortened accordingly if more teams
are scheduled to play at 8:15 pm. Since most early games end before 8:00
PM, please try to have your team arrive early in an effort to start the
second game prior to 8:15 PM.
c) You must play at least 51% of regular season games to qualify for the
playoffs.
d) You may start/play/end the game with only eight players, of which two
must be females.
e) If a team is short players, it could field the following combinations
without default:
8 players (one less infielder and outfielder)
Note: if only 2 females are present, 3 females must still appear on the
batting order with the ‘3rd’ female batting being an automatic out
Note: at its sole discretion, the other team may agree to provide a
catcher. Whether the catcher is an active player (fielding all balls as a
member of the team or just returning pitches) must be decided amongst the
captains prior to the start of the game.
f) Automatic default occurs when:
At 6:40 or 8:25pm (late game), if less than 8 players on a team are
ready to start.
A team fields less then 2 females.
In the event of a default, the score will automatically be 8-0.
Teams who forfeit are fined $50 for the first offence, $100 for the
second and if there is a third, you lose your playoff edibility.
3. Keeping Score
a) Both captains will bring a score sheet to every game.
b) Teams must track the batter results each inning for their own team
and runs scored by the other team. Please confirm with the other captain at
the end of each half inning what the score is. If nothing else, confirm the
score with the other captain at the end of the game, this is so both teams
report the same score. If there is a discrepancy at the end of the game,
figure it out at the field so you both report the same score to the League.
c) The maximum number of runs allowed in the first four innings is 7.
The last three innings are open. This rule is only in effect for the
regular season. There is no maximum in the playoffs.
d) Games are 7 innings unless time, darkness or rain prohibits a full
game.
e) Some diamonds will host a 6:30pm and an 8:15pm game. The two captains
in the early game must ensure that the game gets started on time and is
finished by 8:15pm. A new inning may not be started after 8:05pm.
f) If the team due to bat in the bottom of the 7th inning is leading the
game, the game is over and the score will stand as is. There is no
situation where this rule does not apply. In the bottom of the 7th inning,
once the batting team has scored the winning run the game is over. This
means that once the winning run crosses the plate the game is over. Any
more runs that come across do not count and the fielders do not have to
‘get the ball in’. The final score would stand as the winning team winning
by 1 run.
g) “Games
ending in a tie after seven innings will continue using International Rules
(see below) until the game is decided (time permitting) or a max of two additional
innings. No early game (6:30 start) can continue past 8:15 PM and no late
game (8:15 start) can continue past 10 PM. This rule is only in effect
during the regular season. During the playoffs, games will continue until a
winner is declared with no time limit and without the use of the
International Rule.
International
Rule: The last official batter from the previous inning starts on second
base and the inning is played as usual starting with one out. Each
subsequent inning will start the same until a winner has been determined
(to a max of two innings).
h) Both captains are required to turn in their scores to the League by
4:00pm the next day. Failure to report scores results in a loss for both
teams. If only one team reports the score, that score will be official.
Scores can be reported in 2 ways:
1) Email: wayne_tippett@sympatico.ca
2) Phone: 905-567-5053
i) Standings will be updated after week 2 and
posted weekly to the website.
j) Standings are first determined by games won. Ties in the standings
are first broken by head to head play and then by run differential.
4. Pitching
a) The pitch must be between 6 feet (generally, if it’s over the
batter’s head it is high enough) to 20 feet or it will be deemed a ball. If
the ball arcs less than 6 feet or is over 20 feet, and the batter swings
then the ball is in play and the pitch counts. A ‘strike’ occurs on a foul
ball, a swing and a miss, or if the batter takes the pitch and it lands fully
on the strike matt (home plate is two feet by three feet in size) In this
format each batter will receive up to 3 strikes or 4 balls. On the fourth
ball, the batter walks to 1st. On the third strike, the batter is out. If a
batter fouls off a pitch and already has 2 strikes, they are out. If a male
batter is walked on 4 straight balls, and is followed by a female batter,
the male batter will automatically advance to 2nd base on the walk. The
female batter up next must bat. Other runners already on base will advance
only if the walked batter forces them.
b) Pitching mount should be 50 feet from home base.
5. Hitting
a) You may bat as many females as you like, but the maximum number of
male batters, depends on the amount of female batters. You may have seven
male batters if you bat three females’ batters, eight male batters with
four females, nine male batters with five females etc…
b) 3 females must appear in the batting order. In the case where only 2
females are present, you will have an automatic out. No more than 3 male
batters can bat in a row.
c) A foul ball, missed swing or ball hitting the mat with two strikes on
the batter, results in an out.
d) Bunting is not allowed and will be recorded as an out.
e) The infield fly rule is at the discretion of the umpire.
f) Match Plus 2 “Home Run Rule” is in effect at any diamond with an
outfield fence. No team at any time can be more than two home runs ahead of
the opposing team. For example, if the visiting team hits two home runs of
the game, they cannot hit another until the home team hits one. If a player
on any team hits a home run which would put their team at three home runs
more then the opposing team, it will be counted as a strike. If it is hit
with two strikes, then the batter would be out (3rd strike foul rule).
There is no home run rule at Meadow Glen.
g) Mercy rule: If after five complete innings, one team is ahead by 20
or more runs, the game will be called and awarded to the team currently
winning. This rule will not be in effect during the playoffs.
h) If a batter steps across or on the home plate and/or strike mat to
attempt to hit a ball and makes contact with the ball, it is an automatic
out.
i) Players are responsible for property
damage. This means (and for example only), if you break a window on a house
or a vehicle, you are responsible for any expenses the owner incurs. This
is applicable at all diamond locations.
j) No more then three male batters in a row in the batting line up.
6. Base Running
a) No lead-offs - the runner is called out if they leave the bag before
the bat makes contact with the ball. E.g. if the batter misses the ball,
and the runner has left the bag, the runner is out.
b) When running to first base, the runner must not touch the white base
or they are out. The runner must tag the orange safety base. If the 1st
baseman touches the orange safety base, the runner is safe. If the runner
is rounding 1st base on a hit where there will be no throw to 1st base,
they are allowed to touch 1st base instead of the safety base. The 1st baseman
must move out of the runner’s path as he/she rounds 1st base.
c) When running from 3rd base towards home plate, the runner is to keep
outside the baseline and is considered safe if they pass the home base line
(the first base line is extended beyond home plate towards the backstop)
before the catcher has the ball while touching home plate. If a base runner
touches the home plate while attempting to score it is an automatic out. To
record an out, the catcher cannot tag the runner, they must touch home plate,
with possession of the ball, before the runner passes the line. Similarly,
the runner will be out if they touch home plate rather than passing the
home base line.
d) A commitment line will be drawn 1/2 way between 3rd base and home
plate. Once a runner passes this line (by touching the ground beyond the
line), they must proceed to home plate. Therefore, they are out if the
catcher with the ball, touches home plate before the runner crosses the
home line.
e) No sliding at 1st or home, however sliding into 2nd or 3rd base is
permitted.
f) Tagging up and running on a caught outfield fly is permitted.
g) 3rd Out Fly Out- If the third out occurs on
a fly-out the inning is over. The fielders do not have to field the ball in
to make any plays and any runs scored do not count.
h) Mercy Rule: If a team is up 20 runs at any point after the start of
the 5th inning, the game is over. The score when the mercy rule comes into
effect is what is reported.
i) Pinch running – Pinch runners are allowed
for injured players. A pinch runner can step in at anytime. Each team is
allowed 3 pinch runners per game. The pinch runner can be any player
however a male cannot run for a female, but a female may run for a male.
7. Defense and fielding
a) A team can field 10 players (maximum of 7 males)
b) No more than 7 males may take the field during any inning. Therefore,
a full line-up would include a minimum of 3 females.
c) Infielders may not play closer then the baselines when a female is batting.
The outfielders must remain in the outfield. The only exception is at
Dunton #1, where the outfielders may be ten feet in from the outfield
grass.
d) A foul ball exceeding 6' and caught by the catcher is an out (less
than 6' is simply a strike).
e) The catcher cannot tag the runner at home (see rule 6.c).
f) Both teams must bring their bases to every game and the bases must be
down 15 minutes prior to the start of the first game. If the home team does
not have their bases, they must put in the visiting teams bases and give up
home field.
g) Two pegs must be used to anchor 1st base.
h) 1st and 3rd base should be 65 feet from home base.
i) An outfielder cannot throw a female out at
1st on a ball safely hit to the outfield. If a fielder throws to 1st, the
female runner will be awarded 2nd base. When a team fields a female
pitcher, the team must also have a male catcher unless said team has four
or more females playing defense.
j) When a team fields a female pitcher, the team must also have a male
catcher unless said team has four or more females playing defense.
8. Umpiring
a) All Mississauga Slo-Pitch games are umpired by NCA and/or SPN carded
umpires.
b) No game will be official unless an umpire is present. If no umpire
arrives by game time, you are to call the league at 905-567-5053 and I will
do my best to make it to the diamond within 15 minutes (depending on
location of diamond). If I cannot make it to the diamond, then I will
reschedule the game. If the umpire leaves the diamond (for whatever reason),
the game will be official if 5 innings have been played or if the home team
is winning after 4 1/2 innings.
c) REMEMBER THIS LEAGUE IS FOR
FUN, PLAYERS MAKE MISTAKES AND SO WILL THE UMPS. A ‘BAD’ CALL IS ONLY GOING
TO BE UPSETTING, IF YOU LET IT UPSET YOU. If you are a player who can not
remain calm or just walk away from a ‘bad’ call without an argument or
being upset – you are playing in the wrong league!
9. Sportsmanship
Spirit of the Game – The MSL encourages all players to play with a ‘fun
first, winning second’ attitude. The MSL believes that encouraging good
sporting behavior is why many players join and remain in our leagues.
Playing with ‘MSL spirit’ provides a non-threatening, fun environment for
all levels of players. Good sporting behavior: behavioral tendencies of a
person who can take loss or defeat without complaint, and victory without
gloating, AND who treats all opponents with fairness, generosity, courtesy
and respect.
Captains are responsible for dealing with their teammates at the field.
Any players who are playing aggressively, swearing or exhibiting any other
types of inappropriate behavior should be removed from the field or diamond
by their Captain. Failure to leave the diamond, if requested by the umpire,
will result in a forfeit by the offending team and suspension from the
league for the player involved.
Conduct: Only Team Captains may question an umpires' call. Abusive
language or profanity may result in player ejection. A player ejected from
a game for a first offence will miss the remainder of the game and one
more. A suspended player may be subject to further discipline depending on
the situation. A second offence during the season will result in a
disciplinary hearing and may result in further suspensions.
Consumption of alcohol on or
around the ballpark is prohibited and may result in player ejection or
suspension for the balance of the season.
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