2006 FRIDAY NIGHT CHURCH MIXED SLO-PITCH LEAGUE

 

Rules and Regulations:

 

THE GAME

Good sportsmanship and mutual respect must be a hallmark of our league.  Unsportsmanlike behaviour and language will not be tolerated and will result in the player receiving one warning.  Alcoholic beverages are not allowed on the playing field or the bench.  Any player who is visibly under the influence of alcohol will not be able to play.  If this is determined after the start of the game, simply remove the player’s name from the lineup at that time.

 

The home team for the first game is responsible for lining their diamond and the home team for the late game is responsible for putting the bases away.

 

1.      All games will be 9 innings long or a maximum of 90 minutes.  No new inning will start after 80 minutes of play.  The scorekeeper will mark the start time down on the official scoresheet.

2.      Games are to start on time, with a 10 minute grace period at each team rep’s discretion.  If a game starts late, you must still end on time.  In the event of a rain delay, the game still must be palyed in the allotted time.  Five full innings must be played for the game to be considered complete.  No new inning will start if less than 10 minutes remains before the end of the allotted time.

3.      Each team will have an equal number of at bats, regardless of the score.

4.      A legal pitch must be delivered in an arc of a minimum of 6 feet.  A pitch delivered with an arc of less than 6 feet will be left to the batter to decide whether to swing or not.  The umpire will just call “low pitch” as the pitch is on its way to the plate.  The play will be live if the ball is hit or a strike if swung on and missed.  If the batter lets the ball hit the ground, a ball will be awarded.  If a batter touches a pitched ball before it hits the ground, by either leaning into the path of the ball or by catching it, that pitch will be called a strike.  If a pitched ball clearly bounces and then is hit by the batter, the batter shall be called out.

5.      A legal pitch that hits the plate on the fly is a strike.

6.      Two strikes retires the batter.  A foul on the second strike is also an out.

7.      3 balls constitute a walk.  If a batter does not have a strike before the 3rd ball, the batter may elect to continue hitting until the ball hits the plate or if he swings and misses.  If the batter elects to continue to hit after 3 balls and either swings or misses at the first strike, the batter will be called out.

8.      The home team is responsible for turning in completed roster sheet to the canteen after your game

 

THE PLAYING FIELD

 

1.      Home Plate is to be made of wood in the dimensions of 2 feet by 3 feet

2.      The distance from the pitcher’s mound to home plate is 46 feet.  A circle of approx 8 feet will be lined for the pitcher to stand in while releasing the pitch.

3.      The distance between the bases is 60 feet

4.      Each team will clean up the area around the bench after the game

5.      The two home teams of the 7:00 pm game are responsible for lining the diamonds and setting up the bases.

6.      Each team must show up for games regardless of the weather unless they are phoned.  Teams failing to show up for games will result in a forfeit.

 

The PLAYERS

 

1.      All players must be 17 years of age as of the opening day of the season, however you may have a maximum of 2 underage players.  The underage players must be 16 years of age by opening day.

2.      The team in the field consists of 10 players, of which 3 must be female.  The minimum number of players to allow a game to begin is 8, at least 2 of them female.  If you are short one girl, you must play short one male, resulting in playing with 8 players.  The defensive alignment must include a catcher at all times.  In case of only 8 players, the team may only bat 8 batters an inning.  Any team unable to field a full team will be allowed to pick up players from other league teams, but no more than 9 players will be allowed to play in the field or to bat in any inning.  If a regular player for the shorthanded team arrives, that player must replace a player picked up at the end of the half-inning.

3.      Players must play 1/3 of the teams games to qualify for the playoffs.  A player may only play for one team in the playoffs and must have played enough games for that team.

 

 

FIELDING

1.      Maximum of ten (10) players on the field (5 infielders and 4 outfielders and 1 pitcher).  There must be a minimum of 3 males or females on the diamond at all time.

2.      You may substitute players freely in the field from the bench.

3.      You cannot throw your hat or glove and hit the ball.  Baserunners will be awarded the next bag they were advancing to.

4.      If a batted ball strikes a baserunner, the baserunner is out and the batter is awarded 1st base.

5.      You cannot tag the runner going to first base or after crossing the commitment line to home plate.

 

BATTING

 

6.      There will be a maximum of 10 batters per inning.  The team up to bat must announce to the umpire the 10th batter before the first pitch.  Failure to announce the 10th batter will end the inning.  If there are 2 outs, a flyball or forceout will end the inning.  If there are less than 2 outs, the runners may advance until the defensive team touches any base ahead of any runners once the ball has been hit fairly in to play.  Any base runners who score before the defensive team touches 2nd or 3rd base shall be counted.  No runs shall count if the inning ends in a force play at any base or a flyball.

7.      The batting order must remain intact throughout the game.  A team must have all players present listed to bat.  All players must play at least one (1) inning in the field.  You may not bat more than 3 males in a row.  Jane Does can be used if there is a higher than 3 to 1 ratio of males versus females.  The last female out must be used as the Jane Doe.

8.      No bunts.

9.      You may not step out of the batter box to hit the ball.  This will be considered a dead ball and will count as a strike.  The key to this rule is at the time the ball was hit.  If a player steps put of the box as he hits the ball, that is a dead ball.  If the player hits the ball, then steps out, the ball is live.  If a player steps on home plate as he is hitting the ball, he is called out.  If he steps on the plate after he hits the ball, this will be allowed.

10.  Only five over the fence home runs per team is permitted in one game.  All other balls hit over the fence will be called a single.

11.  If the 10th batter is pitched 6 balls, it shall be considered to be a home run.

 

BASE RUNNING

11.  You may use a pinch runner in the case of injury only.  The last out from the same gender will be used.

12.  The infield fly rule will be used and called at the umpire’s discretion.  This rule is in effect when there runners at 1st and 2nd with less than 2 outs.  Once the rule has been called, runners may advance at their own risk.

13.  No stealing

14.  No sliding or diving to or back to the base.

15.  No leading off the bases.  There will not be an anticipation rule.

16.  If a foul ball is caught as a flyball, the baserunner(s) can tag up at their own risk.

17.  The commitment line rule will be in effect.  Once the runner has crossed the line between 3rd and home, they cannot go back.

18.  The runner must break the plane of the home plate line to score.  Runner may not touch home plate.  This will result in an out.

19.  If a runner interferes with a fielder, the runner will be called out and the batter will be awarded 1st base.

20.  A batter must use the safety bag when overrunning 1st base.  If he touches the white bag, he is considered to be part of the play and can be tagged out.  However it is the positional player’s responsibility to ensure the path of the runner is unobstructed.  (This will render the runner safe.)

 

PLAYOFFS

 

Top 4 teams will make up division A.  Next four teams will consist of Division B

 

If there is a tie in the division round robin, the first tie breaker will be based on head to head games.  If 3 teams are tied, the record against the 2 opponents (wins,losses) will be used first.  The second tie breaker will be run differential between the tied teams.

 

If there is still a tie, all 3 teams will play against each other for 3 innings with the same formula as above used to break the ties. 

 

You may not pick up players for playoff games.