Competitive League Rules
2017 RULES
All rules will be taken from the 2017 Slo Pitch National Rule Book, excepting the changes noted below:
1. The distance between the bases shall be 65 feet.
2. Pitchers will stand directly between home plate and second base, and may start anywhere between 50 and 65 feet away from home plate.
3. Single games will be nine innings long.
4. There shall be a minimum of three female players and a maximum of seven male players on the field/.
5. Teams may use up to three additional players of either gender. Batting order may consist of ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen fifteen or sixteen players. Any of these players may play in the field during any inning, as long as there is no more than seven of either gender on the field at one time. The batting order shall never consist of more than ten of either gender.
6. No automatic walks.
7. Any male batter walked on any walk/at any time during his time at bat, with a female on deck, will proceed to second base. Runners advance accordingly if forced. The female must take her turn at bat.
8. Six runs is the maximum for any inning except the ninth, which is open.
9. Catchers do not have to wear any protective gear.
10. When females come to bat, we will use a regulation eleven inch softball. This means there is no outfield line and no bunting.
11. Men can run for men only and only twice per game. Women may run for anyone and may run once per inning.
12. Courtesy runners must take the place of the batter/base runner at the time the batter/base runner reaches the last base they can on their hit, and before another pitch is delivered. When we use international rules to break a tie you may not use a courtesy runner to replace the runner who starts at second base.
13. Females on the bench may run for other females if no other females in the game can serve as a courtesy runner.
14. A flat carpet or standard safe base shall be used at first as a double base for the batter-base runner.
15. Batters’ boxes shall extend four feet back and three feet forward from the mid-point of the plate.
16. The mat dimensions will be 36” x 24”. Any pitched ball landing on the mat is to be called a strike. Wooden mats are encouraged.
17. All bats with mark of up to 1.21 bpf will be allowed.
18. Player must play in four league games to be eligible for playoffs. For clarification playing in a game occurs when a players’ name is entered on the score sheet and they enter and play in a game as either a runner, batter or fielder. In extenuating circumstances, you may appeal to the league. The three person executive will make the decision.
19. Standard approved softballs will be: Female – 11” optic (yellow) with a core of .47 to .50 and a compression rating of no greater than 375. Male – 12” optic (yellow) or soft (i.e: Champro Safe-T-Soft or Crusher-Soft poly core). If agreed to by both teams prior to game time the following balls may be used: for male batters a Worth 12” Optic Hot Dot 52 core 275/300 compression.
20. To play in the league, ladies must be at least 50 years old by December 31 of the calendar year and men must be at least 55 years old by December 31 of the calendar year.
21. Any proposed new rule that is brought forward and defeated three years in a row may not be proposed for the next two years.
22. League fees are to be $25.00 per team.
23. Games to start at 10:30 am with 15 minute grace time but if you have nine players, you must start play.
24. Forfeited game should be 9-0.
25. There is no mercy rule.
26. Game scores to be E-Mailed to League Treasurer-Statistician within 24 hrs of the completed game by the winning team.
27. Playoff Format/Structure to be determined by the team reps prior to the start of first game.
28. The Catcher when making a put out at home base only has to have one foot touching any part of the Mat when catching the Ball.
29. No sliding or diving when running to a base.
30. All doubleheaders will be scheduled as 7 inning games.
31. Ties will not be allowed.
32. Standing placement is determined by the best won-lost record. If teams are tied the first tie breaker is the head to head record between the tied teams.
All rules will be taken from the 2017 Slo Pitch National Rule Book, excepting the changes noted below:
1. The distance between the bases shall be 65 feet.
2. Pitchers will stand directly between home plate and second base, and may start anywhere between 50 and 65 feet away from home plate.
3. Single games will be nine innings long.
4. There shall be a minimum of three female players and a maximum of seven male players on the field/.
5. Teams may use up to three additional players of either gender. Batting order may consist of ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen fifteen or sixteen players. Any of these players may play in the field during any inning, as long as there is no more than seven of either gender on the field at one time. The batting order shall never consist of more than ten of either gender.
6. No automatic walks.
7. Any male batter walked on any walk/at any time during his time at bat, with a female on deck, will proceed to second base. Runners advance accordingly if forced. The female must take her turn at bat.
8. Six runs is the maximum for any inning except the ninth, which is open.
9. Catchers do not have to wear any protective gear.
10. When females come to bat, we will use a regulation eleven inch softball. This means there is no outfield line and no bunting.
11. Men can run for men only and only twice per game. Women may run for anyone and may run once per inning.
12. Courtesy runners must take the place of the batter/base runner at the time the batter/base runner reaches the last base they can on their hit, and before another pitch is delivered. When we use international rules to break a tie you may not use a courtesy runner to replace the runner who starts at second base.
13. Females on the bench may run for other females if no other females in the game can serve as a courtesy runner.
14. A flat carpet or standard safe base shall be used at first as a double base for the batter-base runner.
15. Batters’ boxes shall extend four feet back and three feet forward from the mid-point of the plate.
16. The mat dimensions will be 36” x 24”. Any pitched ball landing on the mat is to be called a strike. Wooden mats are encouraged.
17. All bats with mark of up to 1.21 bpf will be allowed.
18. Player must play in four league games to be eligible for playoffs. For clarification playing in a game occurs when a players’ name is entered on the score sheet and they enter and play in a game as either a runner, batter or fielder. In extenuating circumstances, you may appeal to the league. The three person executive will make the decision.
19. Standard approved softballs will be: Female – 11” optic (yellow) with a core of .47 to .50 and a compression rating of no greater than 375. Male – 12” optic (yellow) or soft (i.e: Champro Safe-T-Soft or Crusher-Soft poly core). If agreed to by both teams prior to game time the following balls may be used: for male batters a Worth 12” Optic Hot Dot 52 core 275/300 compression.
20. To play in the league, ladies must be at least 50 years old by December 31 of the calendar year and men must be at least 55 years old by December 31 of the calendar year.
21. Any proposed new rule that is brought forward and defeated three years in a row may not be proposed for the next two years.
22. League fees are to be $25.00 per team.
23. Games to start at 10:30 am with 15 minute grace time but if you have nine players, you must start play.
24. Forfeited game should be 9-0.
25. There is no mercy rule.
26. Game scores to be E-Mailed to League Treasurer-Statistician within 24 hrs of the completed game by the winning team.
27. Playoff Format/Structure to be determined by the team reps prior to the start of first game.
28. The Catcher when making a put out at home base only has to have one foot touching any part of the Mat when catching the Ball.
29. No sliding or diving when running to a base.
30. All doubleheaders will be scheduled as 7 inning games.
31. Ties will not be allowed.
32. Standing placement is determined by the best won-lost record. If teams are tied the first tie breaker is the head to head record between the tied teams.