SECTION I – FIELD OF PLAY

1.1 

(A) THE HOME TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING DOWN THE BASES ON THE FIELD EACH GAME NIGHT. 

(B) IN THE EVENT THAT ONE OF THE BASE STRAPS OR SPIKES HAS BEEN DAMAGED AND IS NOT FUNCTIONAL, THE TEAM CAPTAINS SHALL CONFER AND AGREE THAT THERE WILL BE ONE PLAY ONLY AT THE BASE IN QUESTION. * base straps need to be working condition

1.2. HOME TEAM SUPPLIES ONE NEW BALL FOR EACH NIGHT. THE HOME TEAM MUST SUPPLY AN ADDITIONAL BALLS NEEDED BEYOND THAT. 

1.3.

(A) BALLS: EACH TEAM WILL RECEIVE A CASE OF NEW BALLS AT THE START OF THE SEASON, WHICH ARE TO BE USED AND ARE PAID FOR BY A TEAM’S DUES. THE MAKE AND MODEL OF THE BALL ITS GIRL HOT DOTS. 11 inch

(B)BAT RULING- WE ARE USING THE SPN BAT RULES THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE LEAGUE FACEBOOK GROUP AND WILL BE PRINTED FOR EACH CAPTAIN. IF A PLAYER IS DEEMED USING AN ILLEGAL BAT THE PLAYER WILL BE OUT. IF THIS HAPPENS MORE THAN ONCE THE ISSUE GOES TO LEAGUE FOR POSSIBLE TEAM EXPULSION FROM THE LEAGUE. 

*WAIVER HAS BEEN SIGNED INDEMNIFYING THE UMPIRE ASSOCIATION IN CASE OF INJURY DUE TO THE DECISION NOT TO USE SOFTBALL CANADA’S APPROVED BAT LIST. 

 1.4. SPECIAL LINES 

 (A) A COMMITMENT LINE WILL BE TWENTY (20) FEET FROM HOME PLATE. ONCE PLAYER CROSSES THIS LINE SHE MAY NOT RETURN TO THIRD BASE. THE SAFETY LINE FOLLOWS FIRST BASE LINE TO HOME PLATE TO BACK STOP. HOWEVER, IF A PLAYER IS RUNNING FROM 3^RD BASE TO HOME AND CROSSES THE COMMITMENT LINE ON A FLY BALL WHICH I LEGALLY CAUGHT BY A FIELDER, THE RUNNER IS PERMITTED TO COME BACK TO 3^RD BASE TO TAG UP. 

 (B) A LINE MAY BE PLACED TWO BAT LENGTHS (APX. 6 FT.) BEHIND THE PITCHER’S RUBBER, MEASURING FROM THE RUBBER, IN A NORTH-SOUTH DIRECTION. THIS IS THE MAXIMUM DISTANCE FROM HOME PLATE THAT A PITCHER MAY BEGIN HER DELIVERY. (UMPS LINES)

1.5. BASE MEASUREMENTS:

(A) HOME TO FIRST 65 FEET

 (B) HOME TO SECOND 91 FEET 10 INCHES

 (C) HOME TO THIRD 65 FEET

SECTION II – GAME PLAY

 2.1 

1. ALL GAMES ARE TO BE SIX INNINGS IN LENGTH, THE MERCY RULE WILL BE IN AFFECT IF A TEAMING IS WINNING BY 10 AFTER 4.5 INNINGS A 6 INNING GAME. Note: May 2^nd until June 27^th -1- 9 inning game 

   July 4^th until August 8^th– 2- 6 inning games

   August 15^th until Sept 19^th – 1- 9 inning game

 2.2. GAME TIME IS 6:15 PM WITH A 15 MINUTE GRACE PERIOD. HOWEVER, IF A TEAM HAS ENOUGH PLAYERS TO FIELD A TEAM BY 6:15, THEY MUST BEGIN PLAY – I.E. NO WAITING FOR A SPECIFIC PLAYER TO ARRIVE.

ADDITION-since we are playing two game now. If the first game is a forfeit the umpire will wait until 6:45 to see if enough players show up to play the second game. If at that time no more players show up the second game is a forfeit and the umpire goes home.

A TEAM MUST START WHEN THEY HAVE 9 PLAYERS. IF PLAY IS STARTED WITH 9 PLAYERS THEN THE OTHER PLAYERS ARRIVING BY 6:45 CAN BE ADDED TO BOTTOM OF LINE-UP. 

2.3. IN CASE OF RAIN OR DARKNESS, THE UMPIRE WILL CALL THE GAME.

2.4. MAXIMUM OF TEN (10) PLAYERS ON FIELD. 

2.5. REGARDING THE BATTING ORDER, EVERYONE DEEMED TO BE PLAYING INTHE GAME MUST BAT IN THE ORDER. AND DEFENSIVELY PLAY ONE (1) INNING.

 2.6 REGARDING SUBSTITUTIONS, A PLAYER NOT PLAYING (PLAYER A) MAY ENTER THE GAME IN PLACE OF ANOTHER PLAYER (PLAYER B) AND PLAYER B DOES NOT PLAY ANYMORE.

2.7. HOME RUN RULE – HOME RUNS ARE OPEN. EACH TEAM MAY HIT AS MANY AS THEY CAN. 

2.8. NO METAL BALL CLEATS ALLOWED. PLAYERS CAUGHT USING METAL CLEATS WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY EJECTED FROM THE GAME AND, AS THAT INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE GAME AND, THUS, THE BATTING ORDER, EACH TIME SHE IS DUE TO HIT, IT WILL BE RECORDED AS AN OUT, UNLESS THERE IS SOMEONE TO SUBSTITUTE INTO THE GAME FOR THIS PLAYER. 

 2.9.  INFIELD FLY RULE IN AFFECT.

 2.10 A RUNNER MAY BE SUBSTITUTED AT FIRST BASE IF A PLAYER CAN NOT RUN ALL BASES. THIS IS THE ONLY BASE THAT A RUNNER MAYBE SUBSTITUTED. NO RUNNER WILL BE ALLOWED TO RUN FROM HOME PLATE. NO DESIGNATED HITTERS. (LAST POSSIBLE OUT)* if a player is injured a substitution is available at any base.

2.11. IF THE BALL TOUCHES ANY PART OF THE MAT, AND PLATE IT IS A STRIKE.

2.12. IF THERE ARE ANY REPEATED INCIDENTS INVOLVING A PLAYER DISPLAYING OR BEHAVING WITH UNSPORTSMANLIKE OR OTHERWISE INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR, THE UMPIRE WILL MAKE THE CALL ON THE CONSEQUENCES.

 2.13. 

(A) THE PITCHER NEED NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH THE RUBBER DURING HER DELIVERY, OR UP TO TWO BAT-LENGTHS OR SIX FEET IN A NORTH-SOUTH DIRECTION BEHIND THE PITCHING RUBBER. 

(B) PITCHES ARE TO BE BETWEEN 6 AND 12 TOTAL FEET ABOVE THE GROUND IN ARC. ANY PITCH BELOW SIX FEET IN HEIGHT AT ITS APEX OR ABOVE 12 FEET IN HEIGHT AT ITS APEX WILL BE CALLED AN ILLEGAL PITCH (AND A BALL) BY THE UMPIRE. 

 2.14. PLAYERS MAY CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WEAR PROTECTIVE GEAR AT THEIR POSITION. 

 2.15. SLIDING IS PERMITTED AT ALL BASES EXCEPT HOME PLATE AND FIRST BASE. ANY SLIDES AT HOME PLATE OR INTO FIRST BASE WILL BE AN AUTOMATIC OUT. IF A PLAYER IS CALLED OUT FOR SLIDING INTO FIRST OR HOME THE PLAY IS DEAD AND ALL RUNNERS GO BACK TO THEIR BASE. 

 2.16. A PLAYER RUNNING HOME MUST RUN ACROSS THE SAFETY LINE INDICATED. TOUCHING THE PLATE OR MAT WILL RESULT IN AN AUTOMATIC OUT. NO CONTACT CAN BE MADE WITH ANY PLAYER AFTER COMMITMENT LINE. IF A PLAYER IS RUNNING HOME TOWARDS THE SAME LINE AND THE CATCHER ALL OF A SUDDEN COMES OFF THE PLATE TO TRY TO CATCH THE BALL THAT IS THROWN WIDE AND THERE IS CONTACT, THE RUNNER IS NOT CALLED OUT.

 2.17 REGARDING OUTS AT HOME PLATE: 

(A) THE CATCHER MUST CATCH THE BALL AND TOUCH HOME PLATE, NOT THE MAT. 

(B) IF THE CATCHER HAS PART OF HER FOOT ON THE PLATE AND THE MAT, THE RUNNER IS RULED OUT. 

2.18. IF PLAYER LEAVES THE GAME FOR ANY REASON, THE PLAYER WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE LINEUP, A TEAM DOES NOT HAVE TO TAKE AN OUT WHEN THAT PLAYER IS DUE TO HIT. ( CAPTAINS ARE REQUIRED TO LET EACH OTHER KNOW WHEN A PLAYER LEAVES, IF NO NOTICE GIVEN IT WILL BE CONSIDERED AN OUT). 

 2.19. A TEAM MAY APPEAL A PLAY WHEN IT IS OVER. IF THIS OCCURS, THE UMPIRE WILL CALL BOTH TEAM CAPTAINS TO DISCUSS THE PLAY, AND TO DECIDE A RULING. 

2.20 ANY FOUL TIP, CAUGHT BY THE CATCHER IS AN OUT.

SECTION III – CONDUCT

3.1. ABSOLUTELY NO DRUG OR ALCOHOL USE ON THE BALL FIELD OR IN THE PARKING LOT DURING LEAGUE AND TOURNAMENT PLAY. IF A PLAYER IS CAUGHT USING DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND REPORTED TO THE EXECUTIVE, THE PLAYER WILL BE ASKED TO COME BEFORE THE LEAGUE CAPTAINS AS PART OF A HEARING, ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, TO DETERMINE AN APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT. 

3.2. FOUL LANGUAGE AND/OR VERBAL ABUSE IN A SOFTBALL CONFLICT WILL RESULT IN GAME(S) SUSPENSION(S) AS DECIDED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, AFTER WEIGHING INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THOSE INVOLVED, CAPTAINS AND WITNESSES. 

SECTION IV – ADMINISTRATIVE

4.1. PLAYERS MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OLDER ON OR BEFORE THE CALENDAR YEAR OF THE REGULAR SEASON. PLAYING WITH AN UNDERAGE PLAYER RESULTS IN THE FORFEIT OF ANY GAMES IN WHICH THE UNDERAGE INDIVIDUAL HAS PLAYED AND THAT PLAYER IS BANNED FOR THE LEAGUE FOR TWO CALENDAR YEARS. 

4.2. 

(A) INITIAL ROSTERS AND LEAGUE DUES AS SET BY THE LEAGUE PRESIDENT ARE TO BE TURNED IN TO THE FACEBOOK PAGE NO LATER THAN THE APRIL 15th VIA FACEBOOK PRIOR TO THE START OF EACH SEASON. UP TO TWENTY (25) PLAYERS PER ROSTER. 

(B) ANY ADDITIONS AFTER APRIL 15th TO A TEAMS ROSTER MUST BE COMMUNICATED TO THE LEAGUE, VIA THE FACEBOOK PAGE.

(C) A TEAM CAPTAIN WISHING TO MAKE CHANGES TO HER ROSTER MUST SUBMIT SUCH CHANGES TO THE LEAGUE PRESIDENT VIA FACEBOOK FOR APPROVAL PRIOR TO JULY 31. NO CHANGES PERMITTED AFTER THIS DATE. 

4.3. ALL PLAYERS WHO ARE ON THE ROSTER ARE APPROVED TO PLAY IN THE END YEAR TOURNAMENT. 

4.4. A TEAM CAUGHT WITH AN INELIGIBLE PLAYER WILL FORFEIT ALL GAMES UP TO THE POINT WHERE THE INFRACTION WAS NOTED. 

4.5. FOLLOWING YOUR GAMES ON MONDAY NIGHT POST WITH RESULTS VIA THE FACEBOOK PAGE. IS IT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BOTH HOME TEAM TO POST THE SCORES ON FACEBOOK.

4.6. TEAMS MUST SEND AT LEAST ONE REPRESENTATIVE TO CAPTAINS MEETINGS. A TEAM FAILING TO ATTEND REPEATED MEETINGS WILL BE PLACED ON PROBATION BY CONSENSUS OF THE TEAM CAPTAINS. ONCE A TEAM IS ON PROBATION, A SUBSEQUENT FAILURE TO PROVIDE A REPRESENTATIVE FOR

A LEAGUE MEETING WILL RESULT IN THE TEAM BEING EJECTED FROM THE LEAGUE. 

4.7 ANY REGULAR SEASON GAMES THAT ARE RAINED OUT SHALL BE DECLARED A 0-0 TIE FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES. EACH TEAM SHALL RECEIVE A POINT IN THE STANDINGS. 

4.8 THE STANDING WILL WORK WITH THE POINT SYSTEM AND IF A TIE THEN IT WILL BE DOWN TO DIFFERENTIAL.

4.9 IF A NEW TEAM WANTS TO JOIN THE LEAGUE, THE FOLLOWING WILL APPLY TO BE PASSED IN BY APRIL 1 OF THE YEAR –

1. A $400.00 NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT

2. ROSTER POSTED

3. UNIFORM COLOURS

4. NOT ABLE TO TAKE PLAYERS FROM OTHER TEAMS.