BURLINGTON MAJOR SLO PITCH LEAGUE

 

PLAYING RULES

 

 

THE PLAYING RULES FOR THE BURLINGTON MAJOR SLOW PITCH LEAGUE ARE BASICALLY THE SAME AS FOR REGULAR SOFTBALL, WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS:

 

1.                 PLAYING FIELD

 

A.       BASES ARE 65 FEET APART.

B.       PITCHER’S MOUND IS 50 FEET FROM HOME PLATE. A PITCHING RUBBER IS TO BE USED.

C.       BATTER’S BOX – 6 FEET LONG – NO WIDTH LIMIT.

D.      HOME PLATE: WOODEN PLATE – 36” BY 24”.

 

 2.              EQUIPMENT

 

A.        BAT – STANDARD SOFTBALL BAT (WOOOD OR ALUMINUM, INCLUDING BOTTLE STYLE)

B.        BALL – 12 INCH SOFTBALL RESTRICTED FLIGHT SLO-PITCH C.O.R.47.

C.        ALL PLAYERS MAY USE GLOVES.  TRAPPERS FOR FIRST BASE AND CATCHER.  ALL OTHER POSITIONS USE FINGER GLOVES.

D.        SHOES - STEEL SPIKED SHOES ARE NOT ALLOWED.  MOULDED CLEAT SHOES/BOOTS ARE ACCEPTABLE.

 

3.               TEAM

 

A.       THE TEAM CONSISTS OF 10 PLAYERS (MINIMUM), WITH NO MAXIMUM.

B.       A TEAM MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OF 8 PLAYERS TO START A GAME, IF LESS THAN 8 PLAYERS ARE PRESENT, THEY CAN PICK UP A MAXIMUM OF 2 REGISTERED MAJOR SLO PITCH PLAYERS, TO BRING THEIR ROSTER TO 8.  IF NO PLAYERS ARE AVAILABLE TO 15 MINUTES AFTER OFFICIAL GAME TIME, THE GAME IS FORFEITED – PROVIDED THE OPPOSING TEAM HAS 8 OR MORE PLAYERS.  OTHERWISE, THE GAME IS TO BE RESCHEDULED.

C.       BATTING ORDER WILL REMAIN THE SAME THROUGHOUT THE GAME AND WILL CONSIST OF ALL AVAILABLE MEMBERS OF THE GIVEN TEAM.

 

4.                    THE GAME

 

A.       THE GAME SHALL CONSIST OF SEVEN INNINGS, WON OR TIED.

B.       THE GAME SHALL BE CONSIDERED COMPLETE IF IT IS CALLED AFTER FIVE FULL INNINGS BECAUSE OF DARKNESS, RAIN, ETC.

C.       THE DECISION TO POSTPONE OR CALL A GAME WILL BE MADE BY PARTICIPATING TEAM COACHES AND THE UMPIRE.

D.       IN THE EVENT OF A TIE SCORE  PER ABOVE, THE SCORE SHALL REVERT TO THE LAST FULL INNING WITH THE OUTCOME FINAL.

 

5.                    PITCHING

 

A.       THE PITCHER MUST START WITH BOTH FEET TOGETHER AND STEP TOWARDS HOME PLATE AS THE PITCH IS DELIVERED.

B.       THE PITCH MUST BE DELIVERED WITH AN UNDER-HANDED MOTION (HAND WITHIN 12” OF HIP).

C.       THE PITCH MUST BE DELIVERED AT SLOW SPEED, WITH A MINIMUM ARC OF 6 FEET.  THERE IS NO MAXIMUM HEIGHT.  IF THE UMPIRE CONSIDERS THE  PITCH TO BE TOO FAST (LOW), HE SHALL CALL IT A BALL, UNLESS THE BATTER SHOULD SWING AT THE BALL, IN WHICH CASE IT IS EITHER A STRIKE, OR IN PLAY IF THE BATTER HITS THE BALL.

D.       THERE IS NO BALK IN SLO- PITCH.   THE  PITCHER MAY USE HESITATION OR WINDMILL MOTIONS PRIOR TO DELIVERING THE BALL, OR MAY MAKE A PLAY ON A BASE RUNNER AT ANY TIME, PROVIDED THE ACTUAL DELIVERY OF THE PITCH CONFORMS TO THE ABOVE RULES.

 

 

6.                    BATTING

 

A.       THE BATTER MUST REMAIN IN THE BATTER’S BOX, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO HIT THE BALL.  THE BATTER MUST MAKE CONTACT WITH THE BALL AND THEN THE BALL MUST LAND IN FAIR  TERRITORY, BEFORE THE BATTER  WILL BE DECLARED OUT FOR STEPPING OUT OF THE BATTER’S BOX.  ONLY THE FRONT AND THE REAR OF  THE BOX ARE RULED ON.  THE FOOT CAN BE ON THE LINE, BUT NOT OVER.  A BATTER IS DECLARED OUT IF HE HITS A FAIR BALL WHILE STANDING ON ANY PART OF THE HOME PLATE MAT.

B.       BUNTING IS ILLEGAL, AND A BATTER DOING SO WILL BE DECLARED OUT.

C.       THE INFIELD FLY RULE WILL APPLY.

D.      THROWING A BAT MAY CAUSE A BATTER TO BE CALLED OUT, AT THE UMPIRE’S DISCRETION.

E.       THE THIRD STRIKE FOUL RULE WILL APPLY.

F.        HOME RUN RULE: MAXIMUM OF THREE (3) OUT OF THE PARK HOME RUNS PER GAME.  AFTER THE THIRD, A HOME RUN WILL COUNT AS A SINGLE AND ALL RUNNERS WILL ADVANCE ONE (1) BASE.

 

7.                    BASE RUNNING

    

A.       THE RUNNER MUST TAG UP TO HIS ORIGINAL BASE AFTER EACH PITCH AND BEFORE THE NEXT PITCH IS DELIVERED, OR HE IS OUT.  NO TAG IS NECESSARY.

B.       THE RUNNER MAY LEAD OFF FROM ANY BASE AT ANY TIME, BUT MAY ADVANCE ONLY ON A BATTED BALL.  IF A PASSED BALL IS THROWN TO THE BASE FROM WHICH THE RUNNER HAS LED OFF AND THE BALL REACHES THE BASE BEFORE THE RUNNER, THEN THE RUNNER IS AUTOMATICALLY OUT.  NO TAG IS NECESSARY.

C.       SLIDING INTO BASE IS PERMITTED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HOME PLATE.

D.       A LINE DRAWN 21 FEET FROM HOME  PLATE , DOWN THE THIRD BASE LINE, WILL BE THE POINT OF NO RETURN FOR A BASE RUNNER.  ONCE HE HAS CROSSED THIS LINE, HE MUST ADVANCE AND CROSS THE HOME PLATE LINE.  ANY RUNNER TOUCHING ANY PART OF THE HOME PLATE MAT  WILL BE OUT.  THE CATCHER MUST HAVE CONTROL OF THE BALL, AND MUST TOUCH ANY PART OF THE HOME PLATE MAT.  NO TAGGING IS ALLOWED.

E.       SAFETY BASE RULES PROMOTE SAFETY AND REDUCE COLLISIONS,  INJURIES, BROKEN BONES, CLEATING ETC.  AT FIRST BASE, WHERE MOST INJURIES OCCUR, IT REDUCES ACCIDENTS, CONTROVERSIES, LOST PLAYING TIME DUE TO INJURIES, FOOT TO FOOT CONTACT, AND BODY CONTACT.

                                            

                           RULES: -  IF A PITCHED BALL IS HIT TO THE INFIELD AND THE BATTER/BASE RUNNER

FAILS TO USE THE ORANGE PORTION OF THE BAG ON HIS FIRST ATTEMPT AT                                                                                                             FIRST BASE, AND IF A PLAY IS MADE, THE BATTER/BASE RUNNER IS OUT.

 

                                           -  AFTER THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT FIRST BASE, ONLY THE WHITE PORTION OF THE

                                              BASE IS TO BE USED BY THE BASE RUNNER.   EXAMPLE: IF THE BATTER/BASE 

                                              RUNNER ROUNDS FIRST BASE ON A WALK, ON A HIT THROUGH THE INFIELD

                                              OR ON A HIT DIRECTLY TO THE OUTFIELD, EITHER THE WHITE OR THE ORANGE

                                              PORTION MAY BE USED.  HE MUST RETURN TO THE WHITE PORTION OF THE

                                              FIRST BASE BAG WHEN TAGGING UP, RETURNING AFTER HAVING PASSED

                                              FIRST BASE, AND RETURNING AFTER A LEAD-OFF BETWEEN PITCHES.

                                      

                                          -   THE DEFENSIVE PLAYER MUST USE ONLY THE WHITE PORTION OF THE  BASE

                                              AT ALL TIMES.  IF A BATTED BALL TOUCHES ANY PART OF THE WHITE BASE,

                                              IT IS A FAIR BALL.  IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE FOUL, IT MUST HIT TOTALLY ON

                                              ON THE ORANGE PORTION.

        

THE SAFE BASE SHALL BE HALF  WHITE (15 X 15 INCHES) AND HALF ORANGE  (15 X 15 INCHES). THE WHITE PORTION IS SECURELY FASTENED IN FAIR  TERRITORY  AND THE ORANGE PORTION IS SECURELY FASTENED IN FOUL TERRITORY.

 

8.                    FIELDING

 

A.       THE DEAD BALL RULE FOR MAJOR SLO PITCH IS THE SAME AS ONTARIO SLO-PITCH.  THE UMPIRE’S RULING SHALL BE FINAL.

B.       THE DEFENSIVE PLAYERS MAY BE POSITIONED ANYWHERE WITHIN FAIR TERRITORY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PITCHER AND CATCHER, WHO MUST BE AT THE PITCHERS MOUND AND BEHIND HOME PLATE, RESPECTIVELY.

 

9.                    SCHEDULE

 

A.       ALL GAMES ARE TO BEGIN AT TIMES SHOWN ON THE SCHEDULE.

B.       THE HOME TEAM WILL SUPPLY A NEW BALL FOR EACH GAME, AS WELL AS BASES.

C.       SCORES OF THE GAME ARE TO BE CALLED IN TO THE LEAGUE SCOREKEEPER BY THE PLAYER REP. FOR THE WINNING TEAM, WITHIN 24 HOURS OF COMPLETION OF THE GAME.  FAILURE TO OBSERVE THIS RULE MAY CAUSE FORFEITURE OF THE GAME.

D.       PLAYERS MUST PARTICIPATE IN A MINIMUM OF 5 LEAGUE GAMES TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PLAYOFFS. ( SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES MAY BE CONSIDERED BY THE LEAGUE EXECUTIVE).

E.       IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOME TEAM TO RE-SCHEDULE RAINED OUT GAMES A.S.A.P., ALONG WITH UMPIRES.  (COMMISSIONER SHOULD BE CONTACTED FOR AVAILABILITY OF DIAMONDS).

 

10.                 SUBSTITUTIONS

 

A.       ALL PLAYERS AVAILABLE AT THE START OF A GAME ARE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE BATTING ORDER AND HAVE A REGULAR TURN AT BAT.  EACH PLAYER IS ALSO TO PARTICIPATE IN AT LEAST TWO INNINGS DEFENSIVELY.

B.       PLAYERS WHO ARRIVE LATE MAY BE ENTERED INTO THE LINEUP WHENEVER THEY ARRIVE.  THEIR NAMES ARE TO BE ADDED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BATTING ORDER.  BATTING ORDERS MAY NOT BE CHANGED.

C.       DEFENSIVE SUBSTITUTIONS WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF THE ABOVE ARE UNLIMITED.  PLAYERS REMOVED FROM THE LINEUP, MAY RETURN LATER IN THE GAME AND MUST RETAIN THEIR POSITION IN THE BATTING ORDER.

D.       A SUBSTITUTE RUNNER WILL BE THE PREVIOUS “OUT” IN THE BATTING ORDER AND MUST BE AGREED TO BY THE OPPOSING COACH, IF DUE TO INJURY.  ON SUBSEQUENT PLATE APPEARANCES BY THE INJURED PLAYER, THE SUBSTITUTE RUNNER MAY ONLY EARN 1ST BASE ON THE INJURED PLAYERS HIT.

 

11.                 LEAGUE STANDINGS

 

A.       APPROVED SCORE SHEETS ARE TO BE USED BY EACH TEAM AND SHOULD BE COMPARED BY THE TWO TEAMS AFTER EACH COMPLETE INNING.

B.       FINAL LEAGUE PLAY STANDINGS WILL BE ESTABLISHED AS FOLLOWS:

1.        TOTAL POINTS – 2 FOR A WIN, 1 FOR A TIE.

2.        WIN / LOSS RECORDS OF TEAMS TIED (ONLY BETWEEN THOSE TEAMS TIED), AND IF STILL TIED,

3.        RUNS FOR AND AGAINST BETWEEN TEAMS TIED.

 

12.                 ROSTERS/FEES

 

A.       ALL TEAMS WILL SUBMIT ½ LEAGUE FEES BY MAY 1ST. AND BALANCE BY JUNE 1ST. TO THE LEAGUE TREASURER.  ROSTERS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE LEAGUE COMMISSIONER BY MAY 15TH. AND ARE TO INCLUDE THE NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER AND AGE OF EACH PLAYER.

B.       ALL MEMBERS OF THE BURLINGTON MAJOR SLO PITCH LEAGUE MUST BE OF THE MALE GENDER AND 30 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER DURING THE (PLAYING) CALENDAR YEAR.  (SEE  SECTION 12.D)

C.       CHANGES IN THE TEAM ROSTER AFTER MAY 15TH. MAY BE MADE ONLY WITH THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE EXECUTIVE.

D.       FOUR (4)  PLAYERS CURRENTLY PLAYING WITH THE OAKVILLE LEAGUE WHO ARE UNDER AGE THIRTY (30) WILL BE GRANDFATHERED  INTO THE COMBINED LEAGUE UNTIL THEY REACH LEGAL PLAYING AGE.  THE NAMES OF THE FOUR PLAYERS WILL BE RECORDED WITH THE COMMISSIONER.

 

 

13.                 UMPIRES

 

A.       UMPIRES WILL BE SUPPLIED BY THE LEAGUE.

B.       THE UMPIRES WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO EXPEL PLAYERS FROM THE GAME, OR FORFEIT THE GAME AS NECESSARY, TO COFORM TO THE PLAYING RULES OR MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE GAME.

 

 

14.                 CONDUCT

 

A.       ONLY THE TEAM COACH, MANAGER, OR DESIGNATED CAPTAIN MAY DISCUSS DISPUTED CALLS WITH THE UMPIRE (S).  NO PLAYER MAY DO SO, AND VIOLATION OF THIS RULE MAY RESULT IN THE PLAYER BEING EJECTED FROM THE GAME AND SUSPENSION BY THE LEAGUE EXECUTIVE.

 

 

REVISED: April, 2003