1.0     Administration

1.1       General

1.1.1 All League rule changes require 51% of the teams to agree before they are passed.  Teams must be present to vote.

 

1.1.2    All administration rule changes require 51% of the teams to agree before they are passed.              Teams must be present to vote.

 

1.1.3 The league shall follow the rules of the S.P.N. unless the rules of our league differ.  In that event,

            the league rules shall override the S.P.N. rules.

 

1.1.4 All protests at the tournament will be heard by the Protest Committee whose decision will be final.  This Committee is made up of Fairballers, Cereal Killers, Whips and Cannons.  If one or more of these teams are involved in the hearing, they will be disqualified    from the hearing.  In case of a tie, the president shall cast the deciding vote.

 

1.1.5    Prize money from the tournament will be paid out as follows:

                                    A SIDE                                               B SIDE

                        1^st        $400.00 + Trophy                   1^st        $75.00 + Trophy

                        2^nd        $200.00                                   2^nd        $50.00

                        3^rd        $100.00

                        4^th        $100.00

 

1.2       Eligibility

 

1.2.1    Players must play in at least 5 games during the year to be eligible for the tournament.

 

1.3       Suspensions

1.3.1 A team may be withdrawn from the league if: they fail to meet their league obligations (i.e. duties, meetings, etc.); or, behave in a disrespectful, abusive, or unsportsmanlike-like manner.

 

1.3.2 Two consecutive night no-shows or three in a year and the team may be withdrawn, unless conditions justify the no-show and team reps are notified in advance.

 

1.3.3 If either of the above two rules are broken, a committee of Fairballers, Cereal Killers, Whips and Cannons will decide if the team should be withdrawn from the league, or what appropriate action should be taken.

 

1.3.4 Before a team is withdrawn, it has the right to appeal the decision. The appeal will be heard by         the committee discussed in 1.3.3 above, whose decision after the appeal will be final.

 

1.3.5 The Executive reserves the right to suspend the team rep (see contact sheet) upon receiving open alcohol fines. It is the responsibility of the team rep to ensure the all members of the team follow the rules set by LMS regarding alcohol. If the fine is paid before the next game no suspension will be enforced.

 

 

 

2.0     General

2.1       Games

2.1.1    FOR FUN!!

 

2.1.2    Fifteen minutes grace period is allowed for each game.  All games will begin at 6:30 p.m.

 

2.1.3 Nine inning games for single games.  Five completed innings will constitute a complete game in case of poor weather or a run differential of 10 runs after 7.  Double headers are six innings.

 

2.1.4 The first team on the schedule is the home team.  The home team supplies the black mat and supplies 2 baseballs for each game.

 

2.1.5    Each team will keep a record of the scores in the games they are involved in.  The team at bat

will supply the umpire for that half of the inning.

 

2.1.6 The winner of each game is to hand in the result of the game in the Clubhouse.

 

2.1.7 When there are rainout games to be made up by teams, the League will handle the rescheduling of the make-up games.

 

2.1.8    The diamond measurements will be 60 feet between the bases and 46 feet from the back of home         plate to the front of the pitching rubber.

 

2.1.9 Every team will be required, at the end of every regular season game, to strike (in ink) a line under the last player’s name in the roster’s lineup and the captain’s from the opposing team will initial under the marked line.

 

2.2       Teams

2.2.1    Each team will have two representatives.  One of the representatives will be the main contact,

and the other an alternate contact person.

 

2.2.2 Team representatives are responsible for team conduct on and off of the field.  If problems do occur, they are to be reported to the representative of the opposing team and then to the league President as soon as possible.

 

2.2.3    Ten playing players per team (Minimum of seven players or forfeit).

 

2.2.4    Three females per team per game must be present at all times.  If only two are present, an       automatic out will occur in the batting order.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.2.5 If a team wishes, it may place more than ten players in its batting order if it advises the opposing          team before the game commences.  A maximum of ten players may play defensively at any one             time but the players may move in and out of the game without restriction.

                                    The following conditions are to be adhered to under this rule:

• Each player must play at least 3 complete innings.
• Players may be added to and deleted from this list during the game.
• There must be at least three females in the batting order.
• The additional players to be added must be added in this order:
• One male and one female, then
• Two males and one female, etc., etc.
• Females may be added freely without conforming to the above formula.

                                    This rule applies during the season and will also be valid for the tournament.  If a team elects to                                                         use this rule, rule 2.2.6 will not apply.

 

2.2.6 There will be no switching of positions during an inning with the exception of the rover, the pitcher, or because of an injury. (i.e. A male and female cannot switch positions if a batter comes up who may be a switch hitter.)  Once a pitcher leaves the mound, he/she may not return to the mound during that inning.

 

2.2.7 If a player is unable to run the bases and wishes to play, the umpire and the opposition must be         notified prior to the start of the game.  This player will be required to run the bases on a hit until         time is called.  Then a runner will be substituted.  The last player out (of the same sex) at the

time of the substitution will be the base runner.In cases where there has not been a previous out

at the time of substitution, then the last player (of the same sex) who is scheduled to bat, will be

the base runner. Runner must make it to 1st base and stop on 1st base to receive a courtesy runner.

 

2.2.8 The batting order for games cannot have more than three males in succession.  It must have at least one female after three successive males.

 

3.0     Game Rules

3.1       General

3.1.1    NO metal spikes are allowed

 

3.1.2    NO BUNTING

 

3.1.3 A commitment line will be drawn across the baseline between third base and home plate 2/3 of the way (40 feet) to home.  Once the runner crosses the line, the play is automatically a force play at home. The runner may run anywhere behind home plate to cross an extension of the first base line. The runner must NOT touch home plate or the pitching mat.  A runner is NOT considered to be out if he/she is tagged between the commitment line and home plate.  If the base runner makes any contact with a catcher who is standing on home plate or the pitching mat, the runner is automatically out.  Should the runner not make contact with the catcher but touches home plate the runner is out unless, in the umpire’s opinion, no play was made at home plate.

                                    “Home plate” DOES include the pitching mat.

 

3.1.4 Out of play will be determined before the game begins.  It is usually an extension of each wing of the backstop.

 

3.1.5 The batter is called out immediately when he/she hits an infield fly that can be easily played by an infielder.  First and second base must be occupied and there must be less than two outs at the time of contact for an in-field fly to be called.

 

3.1.6    If a player turns past 1^st base and does not make an attempt to go to 2^nd base, that player is NOT          out if tagged, regardless of the direction the turn is made.

 

3.1.7 A player may not advance until the batter contacts the ball.  If a runner leaves the bag before contact is made or the ball crosses home plate, the runner is automatically out.

 

3.1.8 Once the batter takes his/her position for the first pitch, that is how he/she must continue for the        balance of that particular “at bat”.

 

3.1.9 As a courtesy to ALL batters, NO infielder (excluding the pitcher) may move inside the base lines until the ball crosses the plate on a pitch or the batter makes contact with the ball.

 

3.1.10 Mercy Rule in effect for games if a team is leading by 10 runs or more after 7 complete innings for a 9 –inning game or 4 complete innings for 6 –inning games.

 

1. A 10 run cap per inning maximum for all teams batting. Once the 10^th run has crossed the plate and scored, the team batting will take to the field (treat the batter as if he was the 3^rd out of the inning in respects to game play). When the team returns to batting, the batting line up will continue with the player following the last player up to bat last inning. The only exception to this rule is for a team that is behind in points; the cap for this team will be the run deficit.  For example: if Team A has 20 points and Team B has 6 points; Team B is up to bat, the cap for them will be 14 points and not 10. Alternatively; if team A has 10 points and Team B has 6 points, the run cap for team B remains 10 points. This 10 run cap is waived in the last inning of the game.

 

1. Only ASA approved bats will be used in the league. To determine ASA sanctioned equipment, look for the ASA certification stamp on the bat. There are several Models that are not sanctioned for ASA play, but do have the ASA Stamp and can be found in this list: http://www.asasoftball.com/about/build_batlist_one_page.asp

 

We are defaulting to the SPN Standards (ASA might not exist)

 

1. Only flight restricted softballs will be used. They are .40 COR/375 Compression labeled as “Grey Dot”.

 

3.2       Pitching

3.2.1    A mat of designated size (26”w x 34”l) will be used to call balls and strikes.  The mat will be                  provided to each team by the league.  If the ball touches any part of the mat on a legal pitch, it                  will be deemed a strike.  This includes a ball landing partially on the mat and partially on home              plate.  The pitching regulations in rule 3.2.2 will still apply.

 

3.2.2 Pitching regulations: One foot on or behind the mat as long as half the distance from the pitcher rubber to 2nd base or in the corridor prior to the delivery of the ball.  The ball must be delivered at a moderate speed, underhand, and from below the hip.  It must have a perceptible arc of at least one meter between leaving the pitcher’s hand and arriving at the plate. The highest point of the arc must be at least level with the top of the batter’s head.  The ball cannot reach a height of over 4 meters at its highest point.  A pitch that is either too high or too low will be called an illegal pitch and should be called as soon as detected.  The batter is free to swing at the pitch if he/she so desires.  An illegal pitch not swung on is considered a ball.  If a pitch is deemed by the umpire to be of excessive velocity, the umpire will give the pitcher a warning.  If the same pitcher repeats such a violation, he/she must leave the pitcher’s position for the remainder of the game.  The legality (speed and height) of a pitch is in the discretion of the plate umpire.

 

3.2.3 The batter is automatically out if the ball is not hit into fair territory on the third strike. In this scenario, the play is considered dead and the runners may not advance.

 

3.2.4 There will be WALKS during the 2013 season.  If a pitcher throws four consecutive balls, then the batter advances to 2^nd base.  If there is one strike within the first 4 balls thrown then the batter advances to 1^st base. Runs may be scored on a walk only if the bases are loaded prior to the walk –in which case a single run will be scored.