Bradford Sluggers – League Rules Slo – Pitch Ontario Affiliated – Coed E 30+ League
*updated May 2024* Bradford_Sluggers_Rules_2024_FINAL.docx
All games will be played as per the posted schedule sent to the captains, which will be considered the schedule of record
For further information, please contact a member of the league executive
ALL OTHER RULES AS PER THE CURRENT SPO HANDBOOK
1. Have fun, play safe, and respect the game and each other.
2. No alcoholic beverages are permitted on the fields, in the dugout or parking lots. Players involved in an ongoing game who are found to be consuming alcohol during the game will be suspended by the umpire for the remainder of the game.
3. Shoes with METAL cleats are not permitted.
4. Age Limits – This a 30 + league. Individual players must be 30 + years old. The only exception is with couples. One player must be 30 +. The other, if male, 29, if female 27.
5. A game will consist of seven (7) innings or no new inning after sixty (60) minutes. Dead ball will be called at seventy (70) minutes. The score will revert to the last completed inning if the home team isn’t ahead and didn’t get to the complete their turn at bat. Should a game be called due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, that game shall be considered complete if a minimum of four (4) full innings have been played: three and a half (3 ½) innings should the home team be ahead in score. Regular season games are permitted to end in a tie.
6. Should a game be called off at the Umpire’s discretion at any time due to weather or unforeseen circumstances and the conditions of a complete game are not met, as described in rule 5, the game may be rescheduled at a mutually agreed upon date between captains, should time permit in the schedule and umpire is available. Scheduler will arrange with umpire once both teams confirm a slot.
7. Games must start within 10 minutes of the scheduled time; otherwise the umpire has the right to call the game, charging the team causing the delay with a forfeit loss.
8. Teams must field a minimum of seven (7) players to be considered a game. Regular Season: A minimum of five (5) rostered players must be present in order to use call ups. Playoffs: A minimum of seven (7) rostered players must be present in order to use call ups.
9. Call Ups -- Teams may call up players to a maximum of ten (10) total players for any game. The only exception to exceeding the maximum of ten (10) total players is when call up female players are required in order to achieve four (4) total female players. Teams may use call up players from any team so long as the player is in good standing with the league.
10.Teams must field defensively a minimum of three (3) females and a maximum of six (6) males. Any team not able to field the minimum of there (3) females will forfeit their game.
11.In the even that both teams are unable to meet the requirements of rule(s) 7 and/or 9, the game shall be ruled a forfeit loss to both teams. If teams are aware that a forfeit will occur prior to their game(s), they should contact the league scheduler, minimum one (1) week in advance. The scheduler will reschedule your game once a mutually agreed upon date and time has been confirmed, based on diamond availability, as well as Umpire coverage for rescheduled game. For the team requiring the forfeit – if
appropriate notification not provided, it will be counted as a forfeit loss (see rule 12) and there will be a cost of $50 for the first offense. 2nd offense, $100 and 3rd offence, team is done for the season. If fined, team cannot play until league paid.
12.Forfeits – Any team charged with a forfeit loss will receive a score of zero (0) for the game. Any team receiving a forfeit win, shall be given a score of seven (7) for the game, therefore winning the game seven (7) to zero (0).
13.No player shall continue to participating a game if they are bleeding or have bloodied clothing.
14.Jewellery must not be worn during a game. If discovered, the umpire will advise the batter or fielder that they must remove the jewellery before they can participate. When batting it will not be considered an out. A
Medic Alert bracelet, necklace or other Medic Alert identifying device shall not be considered jewellery. Medical braces have to be covered if they have exposed metal.
15.Courtesy Runners – Each team will be permitted a maximum of seven (7) courtesy runners during a game. The courtesy runner can be used at any time after a batter reaches base and must be reported to the umpire. Any player on the games line – up may be used as a courtesy runner. Courtesy runners must be male for male, female for female or female for male. You MAY use the same courtesy runner more that once. A courtesy runner is NOT charged as one of the seven (7), if a player is injured on the play requiring a substitute runner, which will be the last out in the batting order, of the same sex. There are no medical runners permitted.
16.Base running – No stealing or lead offs. If a batter swings and misses, a runner anticipating contact is allowed a two-step maximum off the base. If more than two steps are taken the runner is out. On a pitched ball, should the runner leave the base before the ball has crossed the plate, hit the ground or is swung at by the batter, the runner shall be called out. Umpires must observe the lead-off and they will immediately call the base runner
out and declare no pitch. IF a base runner is called out for lead-off, and is the third out in an inning, the person who was batting at that time will be the first batter in the next inning.
17.First Base – Orange Safety Bag – The batter/base runner MUST use the Orange portion of the double first base when running to first base and has no intention of going to second base on the play. The only exception is if the runner is attempting to avoid a collision with a fielding player. The defensive fielder MUST use the white portion of the double first base to make fielding plays. Should it be evident that there will be no play at first base, the defensive fielder, typically the first baseperson must move out of the way of the runner should the runner have the oppoutunity to run to second. The umpire can automatically award second base to the batter/base runner should their progress appear to have been impeded by the defensive fielder.
18.Cannot throw male or female batter/runner out at first base from the outfield
19.Scoring – A run is scored by a runner touching or crossing the “home base” line. The wooden home plate shall not be stepped on by a base runner attempting to score a run. A runner shall be called out if they step on the wooden home plate while attempting to score a run. The only exception is if the base runner is attempting to avoid a collision with a fielding player.
20.Home Run Rule, Match +2 – No team can be up in home runs over the other team by more than two (2) at any point in the game. An out will be applied if more than two (2) home run is hit by the batting team once the match plus two (2) is in effect. A home run is considered a ball hit over the outfield fence on the fly. “Hit and Sit” shall be used to speed up the game, all runners return to your dugout immediately, if you hit the ball, go get the ball and return to the umpire before your teams next defensive inning. The rule does not apply to inside the park home runs hit at any park. This rule applies to all divisions. Teams must keep track of home runs hit by opposition to ensure accuracy
21.Commitment line – Is a line drawn, in foul territory, 6.40m (21ft) from the back of home plate and perpendicular to the third base line. Any runner crossing this line MUST continue running towards ‘home base’ line. IF the runner touches or crosses the commitment line and then either stops or retreats towards third base, the runner will be called OUT by the umpire. Runners, who have not crossed the line or who cross the line but must tag up on a caught fly ball, may return to third base. No tagging of the runner is permitted after the commitment line by any defensive player(s).
22.Pitching – A pitcher must pitch from the 2 (two) foot wide pitcher’s zone (50’-60’ from Home Plate) and must begin with at last one (1) foot inside the pitching zone. A strike shall be called if the batter swings and misses the pitched ball or if the ball strikes any part of the home pate board prior
to hitting the ground.
23.Batting – Each team will draw up their batting order prior to each game and list it on the league provided score sheet/book. Batting orders must be shared prior to the start of the game. The batting order must be a static line up - You can bat 2 guys and 1 girl as many times as you want in the order.
24.Outs – An out is declared if the batter accumulates three (3) strikes during a single at bat. A foul ball is ruled a strike. A foul ball on third strike is ruled an out. An out is declared if a better bunts the ball (Umpire’s discretion). An out is declared if the ball is caught by a fielder before touching the ground. An out is declared if the ball is retrieved by a fielder and thrown to another fielder on first base before the batter (runner) reaches first base. A foul tip of any height caught by a fielding player is declared an out.
25.A defensive line consisting of an arc, 150 feet from the home plate shall be used and represented by pylons on the first (1st) and third (3rd) fair/foul lines and /or other on field markings. No outfielder (minimum four) is allowed in front of this linen until the ball is hit. Infielders must be beyond the base path until the ball is hit by the batter. If either is violated, the
offense has the option of taking the result of the paly or an aware of one base to the batter and all runners.
26.Infield Fly Rule – The batter is automatically declared out when an infield fly is hit AND there are less than two (2) out AND there are runners on first and second, or first, second and third. The ball will remain live until the play (or Time) is called by the umpire. Calling of an infield fly is at the discretion of the umpire.
27.Walks – When a male batter receives ANY walk, he is awarded second base and the female batter must take her turn at bat.
28.Runs – A maximum of five (5) runs shall be scored by the offensive or batting team per half inning, other than the last inning which will be announced prior to that inning by the umpire as “open inning”. A half inning is over when the offensive or batting team scores five (5) runs or has three (3) outs recorded against them. During the “open inning”, a team will continue to sore runs until they obtain three (3) outs recorded against them.
29.Sliding and Diving is not permitted by any base runner(s). The determination of whether a base runner slides or dives shall be at the sole discretion of the umpire.
30.Bats – We will follow the USSSA Bat Certification Program which states that only bats bearing the “new” USSSA logo located on the barrel of the bat are allowed. This logo is also more commonly known as the “Thumbprint”.
31.Throwing of a Bat – A batter who throws a bat will be declared out by the umpire.
32.Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Policy – please refer to the by-laws within the leagues Constitution and By-laws document.
33.Suspensions – All suspensions must be served and will carry over into future seasons, if necessary, until the entire length of the suspension has been served.
34.Determining Final Standings – SPO tiebreaker rules will apply for the Final Regular Season Standings.
35.Incident Reporting
a. Complete an SPO incident Report within forty-eight (48) hours, and scan and email it to Slo-Pitch Ontario. The report can be completed by the League, Team Contact, Captain, or the Player.
b. It is the responsibility of the insured to notify the SPO office of any injury claim within thirty (30) days of the incident, and to request a Sports Accident Claim Form. Additional information for submitting a claim will be provided to the insured at that time.
PLEASE NOTE: Coverage is secondary and some reimbursements have limits and/or caps. This is NOT a LOSS OF WAGE or INCOME POLICY. For more information or assistance, please contact the SPO office by calling (905) 646-7773 or by emailing playslopitch.com
36.Setting up the Fields/Bathrooms – The two teams who are scheduled on each diamond for the first game will be jointly responsible for setting up the diamond, and the two teams who are playing the last game will be jointly responsible for cleaning up and making sure that the equipment is locked away. Bathrooms now have an auto open and auto lock.
