May 1, 2026

GETTING STARTED



• Home teams in the early games are required to hammer in the bases.

• The home teams in the later games are responsible for pulling up the bags and taking them to the shed.



Teams must have a minimum of eight (8) players ready to go at the scheduled start of a game. Should a team wind up with just eight players, the opposing team will supply the catcher, though he is not required to anything more than toss balls back to the pitcher. For nine players or more, teams must use their own catcher. 

As a last resort, so a game doesn’t have to be forfeited, and only if he agrees to it, a player from another team can serve as an emergency fill-in. His batting statistics will count.

If a game does have to be forfeited, and the two teams involved still want to play a ‘friendly’, those stats will NOT count.



No metal cleats are allowed. Jewellery is permitted but may have to be covered up if the umpire feels it’s a potential injury hazard.

Head-gear for pitchers and batting helmets are optional, but both are recommended.



First games start at 8:15 p.m., but that time can be pushed back a few minutes, at the agreement of both managers, if a team has a player or two en route and needs them to avoid a forfeit. Regardless of the start time, any delays will not be added on to the end. The second games begin at 9:45 sharp, or sooner if the two captains and the umpire agree.



LENGTH OF GAMES

: Each game will go to a maximum of seven innings. For the early games, no new inning can begin after 9:20 p.m., and for the nightcap it’s 10:50. This will be up to the discretion of the umpire, in consultation with the two managers. Those times are also flexible (to a point) in the event of an injury or bad weather, but that will be the umpire’s call, as well. Bottom line is we have to be off the fields by 11 p.m., or run the risk of having the lights go off. A game becomes official after four complete innings or 3.5 if the home team is leading.



LATE ADDITIONS

: With 14-man rosters, it should no longer be an issue, but should a non-registered ‘ringer’ need to be added, the team manager must first clear it with the commissioner by 5 p.m. All non-registered player(s) must occupy the bottom slot(s) in the batting order.

If a regular player shows up late, he will be permitted to join the game at any point but must be inserted into the bottom of the batting order. (This is a change from the previous rulebook which stated a player couldn’t join a game after the fourth inning.)



GAME SITUATIONS



BATS AND BALLS: Worth Hot Dots are the only softballs the league will use. A brand new ball will be unwrapped for each game. The only bats that will be allowed must have the USSSA ‘thumbprint’ stamp on it. Exceptions may be made for the old ASA2000 and ASA2004 bats.



PITCHERS: Are allowed five warmup tosses before the start of the game (or if they enter the game in relief) and one or two before the start of each inning.

STRIKE ZONE: With the new 24 x 42 home plates, a pitch is called a strike if it hits any portion of the wood mat. Whether or not a pitch grazes the outside grey border is the call of the umpire. There is supposed to be a 6-foot minimum for pitches and a 12-foot maximum, though this can vary from umpire to umpire. It’s their call, though it would be advisable for managers to find out how the pitches will be called during their pre-game meeting with the umps.

FOUL TIPS: A foul tip of any height caught by the catcher is an out.



PINCH-RUNNERS: A team is allowed six (6) pinch-runners during a game after a player has reached base. In each case, the runner must be the player who was the previous out. A team can ‘burn’ a pinch-runner to get to someone else if desired. A pinch-runner can also be used at the plate, but the player being run for cannot play defensively.

PITCHER PINCH-RUNNERS: To keep the game moving along, any pitcher who is on base with two out, can be pinch-run for, again with the player who had the most recent out. This is to allow those pitchers who wear protective gear to get ready for the next inning. The ‘any pitcher’ part is to keep teams from gaining any kind of advantage. 



THE LENNY RULE: A player with documented knee or back problems who can barely make it down to first base, but don't want a pinch-runner from the plate, will automatically be awarded a single for any ball hit on to the grass in the outfield. In other words, he can’t be thrown out at first. This is a season-long designation and does not include players who get hurt during a game.

IN-GAME INJURIES: Should a player be unable to continue playing because of an injury, his spot in the batting order is an automatic out the next time through the order only.

RUN LIMITS: Maximum five runs per inning, with the last inning (time permitting) being open. If a visiting team is leading going into the open inning and is still batting by the time curfew arrives, the score reverts back to the previous inning and any stats accrued after that do not count. If a visiting team is trailing, then takes the lead in the open inning and is still batting when curfew arrives, the game officially ends at curfew and the stats up until that point will count.



MERCY RULE: There is a 15-run mercy rule that kicks in DURING the fifth inning if it’s the home team leading, or AFTER the fifth inning if the visiting team is in front.



RUNNING TO FIRST: All base-runners must step on the orange half of the first-base bag, leaving the white bag for the infielder.



RUNNING HOME: Base-runners are not allowed to touch home plate when coming home. They must run past it in a straight line to avoid possible collisions. The catcher must have one foot on any part of the actual home plate when taking a throw with a runner coming in. The umpire will also establish a no-return line between third and home. Any base-runner crossing that line, cannot go back to third.



HOME RUNS: A player will be awarded a home run for any ball that a) clears the fence, b) hits the mesh above the yellow line on the North field, or hits the upper mesh in right field on the South. A ball that goes clearly through a hole in the upper mesh will be a homer.



TREE’S COMPANY: On the north diamond, a fly ball that hits any part of the large tree down the third-base line will be ruled no pitch. However, if the ball is clearly foul (if it hits the west side branches) it is a foul ball. It's up to the umpire where it hits the foliage. When it doubt, it's a no-pitch dead ball. On the South field, a fly ball to left centre that hits the overhanging branches above the fence will be ruled a home run.



INTENTIONAL WALKS: Every team will denote two players before each game who, if they walk on four consecutive pitches to begin an at-bat, will go directly to second base. If there is one guy already on base ahead of the walk, it will put runners on second and third. Runs score only when there are two or more base-runners ahead of the walk.



EJECTIONS: Any player tossed from the game by an umpire, will automatically be suspended for the following game. If the suspension occurs in the late game, that player is suspended for the first game the following week. The commissioner reserves the right to increase the suspension if he and the league executive feel it is warranted.