1. All games will be 7 innings in duration. Each game will have a time limit of 75 minutes. The umpire will notify both teams at the top of the inning what he/she deems MIGHT be the last inning due to darkness/time constraints. Remember that the umpire’s warning about the last inning is only a guess, as it is impossible to predict how long an inning may last. No inning shall start after 60 minutes from the game time. The game start time must be recorded on the scorecard. Each team will have the opportunity to bat once more if necessary. If the home team is ahead, their last bat is not necessary. Umpires have been given specific instructions from the Sports Park and no protests will be entertained due to an umpire’s call. Games times will be 6:30, 7:45, 9:00, and 10:15pm. Sunday Co-ed will have some 5:15pm start times included into their schedule based on the number of teams registered. 2. Please have your team ready to start the game for the time your game is scheduled for. We suggest you show up to your games 15 minutes early so you have plenty of time to warm-up. This will allow both teams to get a full game in, as well as help keep the games on schedule. ie: If your game time is 7:45pm and the teams don’t begin until 7:52pm, then the game is already seven minutes in. We wantteams to get full games in, so please try to arrive in a timely fashion.
3. Your online schedule will determine whether you are the home or away team. (No coin-toss, although this rule may be adjusted for the playoffs).
4. At the start of a game, if a team is short players they will have a 5 minute grace period, timed by the umpire, to have the appropriate number of players on the field. Each team must have a minimum of 8 players to start a game. Teams can swap (lend) players if they agree to do so. Once this has been agreed upon, the game is an official game. Once you start a game you may only add another player if your team has not gone through the full batting order. A team may put a player at the bottom of the batting order if they feel that this player is going to be late. If the player does not show at the time of bat, you simply scratch their name off. 5. Scorecards:
a. Teams must fill out their first and last name. This will help league officials be able to monitor players and avoid the conflict of illegal players come playoffs. The HOME team is responsible for submitting the final scorecard into the slo-pitch mailbox located in front of the main office in the lobby.
b. The home team must write down the final score and get the scorecard initialled by the umpire as well from the opposing captain so there is no discrepancy with the final score. 6. INJURY RULE: IF A PLAYER IS INJURED, THEY CAN BE SCRATCHED FROM THE LINEUP WITH NO PUNISHMENT TO THE TEAM. IN COED, THE TEAM MUST STILL BAT MALE/FEMALE IF A PLAYER IS INJURED.
7. RAINOUTS: During a game, an umpire will use their discretion as to whether the field conditions and/or weather is safe for the game to be played. If a game is cancelled for any reason prior to game time, a Sports Park representative will contact the Captain and inform them that their game is cancelled. A notice will be posted on our website (www.cambridgesportspark.com) on the game day. Captains: Please inform your players NOT to call the Ice Park to find out if games are cancelled.
8: COMPLETE GAMES: A GAME IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL AFTER 4 INNINGS ARE COMPLETED (OR 3.5 INNINGS IF THE HOME TEAM IS WINNING). 9. GAME CANCELLATIONS: If a team can not field a team for a given night, then the score will be recorded as a 7-0 forfeit win for the opposing team. Teams will not be given the opportunity to switch their game times, or replay these games.
10. ALCOHOL: There is to be NO alcohol on the diamonds or in the dugouts. Any player caught drinking in these restricted areas will be removed from the game. For second offences, a team caught drinking will be penalized with an automatic forfeit loss for that game. The umpire and/or league convener in charge has the right to remove a player from the game under any of these circumstances. If a player refuses to leave, then the umpire and/or league convener has the right to call the game. The league will then review this player’s behaviour, and may suspend this player for further games depending on his/her actions. 12. You may have up to 20 players on your roster. Rosters may be changed over the course of the season, but in order to qualify for the playoffs, players must have played 6 (six) games during the regular season. Co-ed rosters can feature any combination of male and female players. The batting order must go male-female or female-male. There must be 5 female players and 5 male players in the field at any time when a full team is present. If a team does not have 5 males and 5 females available, the team can still play but must never have more than 5 males on the field (i.e. your team shows up with 6 males and 3 females. You will play with 5 males and 3 females in the field but all players would bat. The 4th female would be recorded as an out. This rule would work the same with 6 females and 3 males attending the game. 13. An ejection from a game means that you must leave the field immediately. All ejections will be subject to review by the League Coordinator and Convener. All decisions are final. The League Coordinator will not be discussing any issues such as these with any league players other then the Team Representative. As a team rep, please make sure your players are aware of this.
14. All divisions will play with a safety bag at first base. Runners must touch the orange base if there is a play at first base. Failure to do so will result in the runner being called out. The runner may touch the white base at first if he/she is rounding the base towards second. All divisions will also play with a commitment line drawn 24 feet from home plate perpendicular to the third base line. The runner must cross or touch the line and have his/her foot on the ground before the catcher has possession of the ball and is touching home plate. A runner touching home plate will be called out. The catcher may go off the plate to play the ball but must return to the plate to make a play at home. If the catcher moves off the plate to catch the ball and collides with the runner, the runner is ruled safe.
15. A maximum of three courtesy runners per game (any time/base/player) will be allowed. A runner from the screen may be used if talked about before the game between the Captains and the umpire.
16. To be eligible for the playoffs, all players must have registered by their Captain and played at least 6 of the regularly scheduled games. Medical exemptions may be accepted.
17. HOME RUN RULE: 2 home runs can be hit per team, per game (not counting inside the park). Only if both teams have 2 home runs can a third be hit. After 2 home runs are hit by each team there is no limit, however no team can be more than one home run ahead. All other balls hit out of the park are considered an out. This rule applies for all leagues at the Sports Park. 18. For Co-Ed: When a male batter is walked only in a 4 straight balls situation, he will automatically take second base. The following female batter has the option of taking first base or having her at bat. If there is a runner on second and the above situation occurs, the runner on second only goes to third unless there is also a runner on first, in which case the runner is forced home.
19. The mercy rule will be in effect when a team is winning by 12 or more runs after 5 complete innings. The home team will get their last at bat if required. There is also a runs/inning maximum in all leagues. The limit per inning will be 6 runs. Once the team reaches the limit they are done hitting for that inning. However, the last inning of the game is open. When an umpire declares last inning because of time limits, both teams would not necessarily need to bat. If the home team is winning, after the visiting team bats, they would not need to bat. 20. No Steel Spikes
21. A third strike foul or any foul ball caught is an out.
22. Pitching: 6 to 12 foot arc on pitches for all leagues.
23. A 2’ X 3’ wood board will act as home plate. The ball striking any part of the plate constitutes a strike.
24. Balls: Men’s/Co-Ed: Restricted Flight 12 in. C.O.R. 44, 375 compression
*All balls are supplied by the SPORTS PARK.
Bats: All bats must be approved by the USSSA list which can be found at http://www.usssa.com/usssa/usssa-general/legalbats.asp 25. If a rule or guideline is not covered in the Sports Park rules, then the SPO Rulebook will apply.
26. PAYMENT: Teams must be paid in full by the 2nd week of play. Teams with outstanding balances will not be allowed to play until their balance is paid in full. NO EXCEPTIONS! If a team refuses to pay their remaining balance, then the league convener will remove them from the diamonds, and the opposing team will be awarded with a 7-0 forfeit win. That team will not be allowed back on the diamonds until the remaining balance has been taken care of. For teams paid in full BEFORE their first game, they will receive a $50 voucher for Penalty Box Bar & Grill. The coupon can be picked up and redeemed at Stanley’s bar at the beginning of the second week of play.
27. JEWELRY RULE: Common sense is your best tool if you decide to wear jewelry on the field. If an umpire feels that exposed jewelry will be a safety concern for the individual or participants of the game, he can ask for the unsafe jewelry to be removed. If the umpire asks for the jewelry to be removed, and the player refuses, then the player will be removed (ejected) from the game. For example, if a batter comes to the batter’s box with small studded earrings or a small chain around their neck, there will be no concern. 28. UMPIRES GROUND RULES: – Umpire has full authority at the beginning of his/her game to determine the ruling should the ball leave the field of play through the fence opening on diamonds one and two.
PROTESTS:
All protests, in the regular season or playoffs, must be submitted in writing within 30 minutes of the game being protested. This written protest must be accompanied by a $100 deposit. The deposit is refundable if the protest is won. If the protest is lost, the $100 is not returned. The protest will be reviewed by the league convener and coordinator and the decision made will be final. The convener and coordinator will talk to all parties involved in the protest to make their decision. This also applies to all tournaments within these leagues.
PLAYOFFS
The playoffs will start the week following the "rainout week". (No weeks off). A three game round-robin will be played over three weeks. Match-ups will depend on the number of teams in each league/division. Semis/Finals will take place the following week for all leagues. All forfeits in the playoffs will result in a 7-0 score.
Tie Breaker: (For League and Playoff Format)
a) Head to head
b) Most wins
c) Least runs against
d) Head to Head regular season
e) Least runs against regular season