Rules & Code of Conduct

Official Game = 7 innings or 1 hour 30 minutes.

Bases are placed roughly 65 feet apart. 

Pitches will be underhand (slo-pitch) and ball types will be softballs (not baseballs).

Min. number of players on the field = 7 (pitcher, catcher, 3 infielders & 2 outfielders); Max. number of players on the field = 10 (pitcher, catcher, 4 infielders & 4 outfielders).

In the case of a shortened game (e.g. bad weather) the game counts as long as 4 innings were played. If the home team is winning in the bottom of the 4th when play is stopped, then the game still counts.

Games that are cancelled due to bad weather will be attempted to be re-scheduled, but we cannot guarantee it. Games may be rescheduled during an off week. 

If the home team is winning after the top of the 7th, the game is over. Teams may play for fun for the bottom of the 7th but in terms of reporting the score, it is reported as the score at the top of the 7th.

Mercy rule: If a team is up by 15 runs or more after the 5th inning of play, the losing team has the option of calling the game or choosing to continue.

Teams must bat in a set order, with a rotation of 9 players.

Players are permitted to leave and re-enter a game but must bat in their original batting order. If a player re-enters the game but at a different batting position, that team will be given an automatic out. (Ex. Player A starts in batting position 3, then leaves the game for 2 innings. Upon their return they must only bat in batting position 3.) 

There is no set fielding line-up (players may switch positions from inning to inning).  The 9 players in the current batting order do not have to be the same 9 fielders.  Any 9 players may be fielders at any time. Players may not switch fields during the inning, unless there is an injury to a player.

Teams must have a minimum of 2 players of each division (Youth/Female/Male) on the field at all times. If a team is short a youth/female player, when the space for the missing youth/female comes up in the batting line up, it will be counted as an out. The auto-out can be replaced by an at-bat of the most recently out youth/female player (if not on base) at the discretion of both teams before the start of the game. If less than 2 of each youth/female on the field, they will need to play one player short in the field (no rover).  Please confirm with your other captain if you are short female players before the first pitch.  

If the game does not begin 15 minutes after the scheduled start time due to lack of players from one team then the other team wins the game by default. A minimum of 7 Players is required to be considered eligible to play. 

There must be a minimum of 1 youth/female at bat for every 2 men at bat (even if a youth/female bats twice in the same order). However, if there are more youth/females than a 2:1 ratio, the team should follow a standard batting order with no more than 2 males in a row. Everyone on the team has to bat before a male bats for the 2nd time.

7 run mercy rule per inning, no maximum in 7th inning.

There are no leadoffs for base runners; you must wait until contact with the ball is made. Stealing is not allowed.

No sliding under any circumstances. Anyone sliding will be called out.

Team captains should flip a coin or rock-and-scissors to determine which team takes the field first.

The pitcher, and with assistance from base coaches, should call outs at bases. In addition, the catcher should call fair/foul balls as they have the best view. The pitcher is responsible for calling outs at 2nd base and home plate. (Note: Should base coaches be unavailable, the pitcher will call all outs at each base and home plate). Ties at bases go to the runner. 

There is no bunting allowed.  If a player attempts to bunt, they are automatically out. Intentionally "chopping" the ball (so it bounces high) is not allowed. This will be at the umpire's discretion.

There is no minimum distance for a batted ball to count as live (e.g. if a batted ball does not reach the pitcher, it is still a live ball) as long as it is a full swing.

Since there is no minimum distance for a batted ball, there is no minimum distance for the infielders to start. (i.e. they do not have to be behind the baseline)

If a batted ball hits the pitcher, it is not counted as a pitch. It is a dead ball, any baserunners must return to their original bases.

The infield-fly rule will be in effect.

There can only be four players defending in the infield (1st baseman, 2nd baseman, 3rd baseman and Shortstop), with at least two infielders completely on either side of second base. Any rovers must play in the outfield, and cannot enter the infield until the ball has been hit.

To avoid collisions, 1st base will have "safety bases". As such, there will be a base for the first baseperson to touch and a separate base for the runner to step on. This is only on ground balls to first (i.e. if a batter hits an outfield single and there is no play at first, they may touch the white base). Once a player has safely reached first base, the safety base will then be considered to be the ground, so the runner may only use the white base as their base.

A player can overrun 1st base ONLY.

A scoring line and commitment line will be used for plays at home. The commitment line will be halfway between 3rd base and home, and once a runner crosses that line, they cannot return to 3rd base. If they do, it is an automatic out (no appeal to the umpire is necessary). All plays at home are force-outs (the runner may not be tagged once they pass the commitment line and the runner must pass the scoring line and NOT touch home plate). To get a runner out at home plate, the catcher must have the ball and one foot on home plate before the runner crosses the extended line passing from the 1st base line past home plate. If the runner touches home plate, it is an out.

Fielders cannot block the base path from oncoming runners. If a fielder is in the base path and not making a play on the ball, the runner will automatically be rewarded the next base.

A commitment line will be marked between 3rd base and home plate. Once the base runner has passed the line they must continue on to home

Baserunners cannot interfere with live batted balls and should make every effort to avoid live balls. 

Pitches must have a minimum arc of 6ft (1.83m) and a maximum arc of 12 ft (3.65m). 

A second foul ball on a third strike is an out.

All bats must be ASA, ISF or USSSA approved. If a batter uses an illegal bat, they will be called out and any base-runners must return to where they started at the beginning of the at-bat.

Pinch runners and courtesy runners are allowed, a maximum of three per game. However, they must be the last person to get out of the same gender. Pinch runners can start from home plate (safely away from the batter, touching the back fence). The batter does not have to make it first base before a pinch runner is used. 

For a foul pop up to the catcher, the ball must go a minimum of 10 feet (as high as the backstop) for the catch to count as an out. If it is below 10 feet, it is a pitch.

Playoff games cannot end in a tie. If a playoff game is tied after 7 innings, please play extra inning(s) until a winner is determined. The last out will start on 2nd base for each team at the start of every extra inning. (Please do this quickly as there may be games scheduled after yours).

There can be a maximum of 2 out of the park home runs in each inning. Out-of-the-park Home Runs above the 2 HR limit count as a ground-rule-double.