Co-Ed Rules



A. Team - Uniform
Team uniform rule to be enforced as of June 1st of the current season. Teams must be in uniform of matching colour and style, and must be numbered with minimum 6 inch numbers on the back, or minimum 2 inch numbers on sleeve or chest area. Teams may be granted an extension if uniforms cannot be ready by June 1st, but must have a letter from League Executive.
B. Team - Defence
1) Unlimited defence. A minimum of 4 females on defence at all times. A minimum of 3 females when playing with 9. (when playing with 9 players, and the 10th arrives, he/ she may play defence immediately)
2) All players on the line-up card are permitted to play defence, with no need to call for the use of a substitution.
3) Infielders must stay behind the baselines, and outfielders must stay behind the 175' line until batter makes contact with the ball. No more than 4 infielders (+ the pitcher) are allowed on infield until the batter makes contact with the ball. If pylon not there, indicating 175' line, the umpire shall consider the line to be 25' past the light standard.
4) 5 warm up pitches at the beginning of game, no pitches thereafter. (3 warm up pitches for a relief pitcher)
C. Team - Offence
1) A team may start with 9 players. If the 10th player, or more, arrives prior to the team going through the batting order once, a 10th player ONLY will be added to the batting order. The 11th player, or more, may be substituted into the line up. The 10th position will NEVER be an out, due to alternating line up. (if the 10th player arrives AFTER going through the batting order once, he/ she is an automatic out, but may play defence (10 on defence))
*NOTE* A missing 4th female is an automatic out
2) If a male batter receives a walk, intentional or otherwise, and he is followed by a female, he will be awarded 2nd base, and the next batter (female) will have the option of taking a walk, and going to 1st base, or hitting.
3) No sliding is permitted at first base or home. A runner MAY slide back to 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
4) Unlimited offence is permitted. Line-up cards are required, and plate umpire will keep score on the line-up card. 2 male batters may bat back-to-back twice through the line-up. 3 females MAY bat in succession. In case of injury, ejection, or player leaving, that player is an automatic out, unless a substitution is made. If the injured or departed player returns, he/she may be inserted back into the original position in the offensive line-up, if no substitution was made. The minimum offensive line-up is 9. The minimum number of males is 3.
5) There is no mercy rule.
6) The home team will provide a scorekeeper. If the home team cannot provide the scorekeeper, the visiting team shall do so, and assume home field advantage. The scheduled home team shall provide a new ball, even if it loses its home field advantage. The visiting team shall provide a good used ball.
*NOTE* If starting with 9 players, and having gone through the batting order once, the team must finish with 9 players. If starting with 9 players, and an additional player is added to the batting order, OR, starting with with 10 players, the team must finish with 10, unless there's an injury. The team may then play with 9. If the line-up is 11 or more, the unlimited offence rule is in effect (Ref:C.5.d). The team may finish with 10.
7) Line-up cards must have first AND last name, as well as number, for each player.
D. Game Times
1) No new inning to start after 65 minutes. Umpires should advise teams of time left, starting with 15 minutes, and reconfirm time after each half inning.
2) NO grace period for any games.
3) If the 1st or 2nd game surpasses the scheduled time, only 5 minutes will be allowed between games.
4) There will be on field warm ups, IF TIME PERMITS.
5) Clarification that games can only start early if BOTH teams condent.
6) Playoffs and Rain Out games can be scheduled on any night of the week.
E. Strike Zone/ Pitching
The 24" x 50-60 ft pitching zone is in effect (for safety), with the wooden "mat" being used for strike zone.
F. Commitment Line/ Scoring Line
1) Both lines will extend from the foul line to the fence.
2) Tags are NOT permitted between the 2 lines. Runner will be considered safe.
3) No sliding or running over home plate. Runner will be considered out.
G. Courtesy Runners
3 per team, per game. (anyone on the roster - male for male, female for female OR female for male)
H. Anticipation
Anticipation is permitted.
I. Ball
Official ball is the SPO Hot Dot, optic yellow, 12". Home team to provide 1 NEW ball per game. Visiting team is to provide 1 good USED ball per game.
(teams caught trying to bring a non-approved ball into play could face possible forfeit of game. This will be an Executive decision)
J. Bat Rule
All bats must have the USSSA 1.20 BPF Thumbprint, made between 2012-2020, or the NTS 1.20 BPF stamp, made 2021-forward.
A batter shall be ejected from the game if he is discovered to be using an altered bat or a non-approved bat after entering the batters box.
The ejected player is suspended for the remainder of the game, with a review by League Executive. A 2nd offence will reult in a minimum of one year suspension.
*NOTE* An altered bat is one that has had its physical structure changed, including, but not limited to:
1) The bat has had the surface of the barrel or the taper changed in any way, such as sandpapering or applying a solvent to the surface, such as fingernail polish remover or by any other means.
2) The bat has had the plug or the knob removed/ replaced or changed in any way.
3) The bat has had anything removed or added or inserted to the inside or outside of the bat, other than tape at the handle or knob.
4) The bat has been repainted.
Other examples of an altered bat would be changing or replacing manufacturers' markings or replacing the handle of a metal bat with a wooden handle. Cracked, worn, or damaged bats are not altered bats, but will be removed from play. Such cracked, worn, or damaged bats will not result in players suspension, unless player returned the offending bat into play, after it has been removed.
K. Umpires
1) Umpires to keep score.
2) It is the umpires responsibility to speed up the game between inning.
3) Each team to pay 1/2 of the umpires fee before the start of each game. Fees will be announced prior to the start of the season.
L. Special Rules
1) All SPO and League rules will be in effect, for regular season and playoffs. Rosters shall be a maximum of 20 players.
2) Any player caught playing without a valid SPO registration will be suspended from play in the Wednesday Co-Ed League, as WELL as the Barrie Men's Slo-Pitch League, for a period of 2 years! It is the coach's responsibility to ensure ALL players are registered, before playing in any games.
3) If a team forfeits because of insufficient number of players, that team shall pay both halves of umpire fees.
4) If a player, coach, or manager is removed (ejected) from a game, that player will receive an automatic additional one-game suspension. If the infraction, in the opinion of the umpire, warrants further discipline, the umpire should Document the incident (form in current Handbook), and forward the report to the President or Umpire-In-Chief, so further action may be taken by the League.
M. Blood Rule
The player may be replaced by a player who is not considered a substitute for the rest of the inning, plus, one additional inning. After a full inning, a substitute must be inserted into the line-up. If no player is available, that position will be skipped in the batting order, without penalty. (Revised April 25, 2005)
Q. Home Run Rule
One "over the fence" home run per gender per game. Any hit in excess of this will be considered an out.
N. Profanity/ Cursing
Any flagrant profanity = ejection.
Each team will be warned one time, a second warning will result in an OUT.
O. Serious Injury
Umpire will call "time" immediately, and place runners according to his/ her judgement. Batter/ Runner must achieve first base, or be called out. If Batter/ Runner reaches first, he will be awarded first base, and other runners are placed.
P. Cancellation Procedure
1) When schedule has been finalized, Executive will organize no changes to the schedule.
2) If 48 hours notice is given to the umpires, fees for umpires will not be charged, but League fines are still to be applied. If notice is not given in time, the forfeiting team will be responsible to pay full umpire fees for that game.
3) If a game is to be rescheduled, it is the responsibilty of the team doing the rescheduleing to get written approval from ALL teams affected. Under no circumstance will a game be played at an alternate diamond, or night than already scheduled.
S. Fines
1) Cancelled games = $25
2) Forfeit games = $40 to umpires + $25 to League (after 3rd forfeit = $100)
3) Emailing scores in late = $10
4) NSF cheques = $100
5) Missed League meetings = $25
6) Drinking at Complex = $100/ team (and subject to expulsion by Complex)
R. Registering Winning Scores
Winning team to email scores within 24 hours from end of game. In case of a tie, both teams to email score.
T. Maximum RPI
The "plus 5" rule is in effect....
U. Player Eligibility
No male player ranked higher than Men's "D" are allowed on any roster. (unless grandfathered)
No female ranked higher than Ladie's "C", with the following exception:
Each team is allowed a maximum of 2 females with a ranking of B or higher.
Teams may borrow a female from another team to reach either 3 or 4 females. This may be done a maximum of 3 times in one season, and is not allowed in playoffs.