RULES AND PLAYOFF INFORMATION
The 2019-2020 Slo-Pitch Softball Canada Rules (SCR) shall apply along with Non-Official Official (Non-Off.R) Special Senior Playing Rules. Coaches/Managers meeting must be held prior to the beginning of the competition.
A. THE TEAM
A team will consist of a maximum of 17 players, including coaches/managers. If a team has a non-playing coach/manager, this person is not included in the 17 person team roster.
Team 55+ Mixed will play with 10 eligible defensive players, two of which must be the opposite gender. Team 65+ Open will play with 11 eligible defensive players. Teams must take into consideration the number of players on the team roster to avoid the forfeit of the game if they don’t have 10 or 11 defensive players due to injuries. Under extraordinary circumstances and due to slo-pitch being a qualifier event for the Canada 55+ Games, provision of the SSFA Rule Book, Page 2 shall considered.
Substitutions must be male (or female) for male and female for female.
Official line-up cards are to be completed and submitted to the official scorekeeper or umpire and a copy to the opposing coach at the start of the game. The line-up shall list the first and last name and uniform number of each player and substitute.
All players listed on the batting line-up card must wear the same colour ball shirt and must have a number on the back of the shirt with no duplication of numbers.
The Host Committee should obtain independent score keepers, if possible. Otherwise, each team will supply their own scorekeeper and they will compare score sheets.
Whenever possible, the home team will be assigned and when this is not possible, the home team will be decided by a coin toss.
B. THE PLAYING FIELD
Distance between bases shall be 65 feet.
The home plate/strike mat is to be a 24” X 36” mat placed over the original home plate. (The entire mat can be used for a put out)
Pitching distance shall be a minimum of 50 feet up to a maximum of 60 feet. Both distances should be clearly marked.
A double (safety) base is to be used at 1st base with the orange portion belonging to the batter/runner alone, on his/her first attempt at reaching first base. If the batter/runner is restricted/hindered in any manner in getting to the orange base, he/she will be called safe.
The commitment line is a line 21 feet from home plate perpendicular to the 3rd base line. (Runners crossing or touching this line must continue home) 6. A safe plate or scoring line shall be used for the player running from 3rd base to home.
C. THE GAME
A regulation game will consist of 7 full innings.
A game called by the umpire shall be regulation if 5 or more innings have been played, or 4½ innings, if the home team is ahead.
The 5 run per inning rule (Non Off.R) is in effect, except the last inning, which is open.
The mercy rule will apply (Non Off.R). The game will end any time after 4½, 5, 5½ or 6 innings of play, if there is a difference of 12 runs.
Game tie breaker. Starting at the top of the 8th inning and each half inning thereafter, the offensive team shall begin its turn at bat with the player who is scheduled to bat last in that respective half inning being placed on 2nd base. This player can be replaced with a courtesy runner once he/she has reached 3rd base. (The courtesy runner rule must be followed).
Registered umpires must be used for all games.
D. EQUIPMENT
Bats: Titanium Bats and those labeled Miken Ultra II will not be allowed. The ASA list of illegal bats will apply. Bats must be labeled 1.20 BPF or have one of the ASA certification marks with the 2000, 2004 or 2013 shield. Bats will be inspected prior to the start of each game.
Balls: The official ball shall be a 12” yellow ball with a 0.44 COR, 375 comp. Balls must not exceed 0.47 COR, 375 comp.
Shoes: No metal cleats are allowed; nor are hard plastic, nylon or polyurethane spikes allowed.
E. SENIOR PLAYING RULES
Pitching – a legally delivered ball with an arc of 6 feet minimum to 12 feet maximum from the ground, striking any part of the strike mat before it touches the ground is a strike.
Female batters are allowed to bunt, with no restrictions on where the infielders play (NonOff. R).
If a male batter, who is batting just before a female, is walked on 4 straight pitches, he is awarded 2nd base. The female batter must bat.
On a 3rd strike foul, the batter is out and the ball is dead. If caught, the ball is live until it is returned to the pitcher.
There is to be no tag on the runner by the catcher or other defender, between the commitment line and the safe plate or scoring line.
A runner over-running 2nd or 3rd base is liable to being tagged out.
Sliding into bases is not permitted. Runners may slide or dive, when returning to a base. Runners sliding when advancing to a base shall be called out.
Runners shall be called out for contact with a defensive player, while he/she is making a play on a batted ball.
If the umpire rules deliberate contact on the part of a defensive player, the runner shall be called safe.
The same courtesy runner can be used once per inning and must be on the line-up sheet (this does not count as a substitute). A courtesy runner is ineligible to bat if on base as a courtesy runner when it is his/her turn to bat. He/She is out as a batter but allowed to remain on base as a runner.
Courtesy runners from home can be used. Team managers and home plate umpire shall agree before the game commences which batter requires a runner from home. The designated courtesy runner is on the line-up card prior to the start of the game.
Courtesy Runner Rule:
- Age category 55+, after starting with 10 players, the team could designate a courtesy runner and this is his/her only responsibility.
- Age category 65+, after starting with 11 players, the team could designate a courtesy runner and this is his/her only responsibility.
- This courtesy runner could be used every inning.
- If two courtesy runners are designated, then two courtesy runners can be used per inning.
A courtesy runner from home must start 6 feet behind the extension of the 3rd base line.
A courtesy runner from home who runs before the ball is hit shall be called out.
A batter, who requires a courtesy runner from home plate and hits the ball, is allowed to run down the 1st base line up to a commitment line of 12 feet. If the batter runs past this commitment line, the batter/runner will be called out. If the batter causes interference, the batter/courtesy runner will be called out.
If a player is injured and there is no substitute available, that player can be removed from the game with no penalty. The game may continue with the injured player’s name scratched from the batting line-up.
Injury Rule:
A player can come back after being taken off the field. If the player got injured on the base (being a base runner) the courtesy runner can be used to replace the injured player.
If a player got injured on the field (being a fielder), the courtesy runner can be used to replace the injured fielder. Now, the courtesy runner becomes a “substitute”. In this case, once the injured player comes back, the substitute player is out of the game and cannot be used as a courtesy runner anymore.
An injured player can come back and use a courtesy runner from home plate, only if declared before the start of the game.
TOURNAMENT TIE BREAKER PROCEDURE
To determine the order of finish if 2 or more teams are tied. Use overall win-loss record. If still tied, use
Record between tied teams. If still tied, use
Score plus minus differential between tied teams. If still tied, use
Total runs scored in tournament. If still tied, use
Total runs allowed in tournament. If still tied, use
Toss of coin.
PROTESTS
Protests shall not be received or considered if they are based solely on a decision involving the accuracy of judgment on the part of the umpire. Only the following will be considered.
Misinterpretation of a playing rule.
Failure of an umpire to apply the correct rule to a given situation.
Failure to impose the correct penalty for a given violation.
Protests regarding eligibility as outlined in the SSFA 55+ Rule Book. (Page 5, item Vl).
The formal written protest should be in accordance to the SSFA 55+ Games procedure.
The Team Representative is the only person to discuss a call or ruling with the umpire.
Complete SSFA 55+ Games Rule book is available here.