Playoff Weekend: Aug 27-29, 2021

2020 Ball Executive:

President - Taylor Robertson
Vice President - Sean Litke
Secretary - Jen Lowry
Treasurer - Melissa Gauthier 
Umpire in Chief - Matt Bialek

Members at Large - Tracey Schwark, Kelby Picard, Greg Stelmack, and Teresa Bortoluzzi  

• Just a reminder:  If you are playing a single game (7 or 9 innings) the fee for the umpire is $20/team. If there is a double header on the diamond, the fee is $15/team. If, for some reason, you are in a defaulted game, do not pay the umpire at all. The team who forfeited the game is responsible for the whole fee as part of their penalty. If your team needs to reschedule a game, your manager must contact the UIC AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE GAME.  If your team cancels with less than 24 hours until game time, you will be required to PAY THE FULL $40.00 UMP FEE PRIOR TO YOUR NEXT GAME.   We need to be considerate of each other and our umpires. 
  

Beausejour Slo-Pitch Rules

As a league for standard play, we will follow the SPN rule book. Including for legal bats. Each team received a copy of the rule book at the Spring AGM. 

Any suspensions in any other SPN sactioned leagues will also be honoured in our league.

In addition to the SPN rule book, the following rules will be followed during all league games:

1.  Line-up rules at the start of a game:

Men’s and Women’s play – teams may start with a minimum of 8 players and can only add players if they are on the umpires card prior to the start of the game.  The maximum a team can bat in their line-up is 12.

Co-ed play – teams can start with a minimum of 8 as long as they have 4 women on the field at all times.  A full line-up would consist of 6 men and 4 women.  Additional batters are allowed up to the maximum of 12 as follows:

8 batters – 4 guys, 4 girls

9 batters – 5 guys, 4 girls

10 batters – 6 guys, 4 girls

11 batters – 6 guys, 5 girls

12 batters – 7 guys, 5 girls

Your line-up must be set in a way to not bat more than two men consecutively.  Failure to do so would result in the 3^rd guy batting in a row being called out.

Auto outs will be used if a team is unable to bat 10 players (9th and 10th if 8 players batting. 10th if 9 players batting.)

2.  Determination of home team:

A coin toss will be completed prior to the start of each game to determine the home team for the game.

3.  Game start time and length:

In men’s and co-ed play, if the game is not part of a scheduled double header, games will be 9 innings in length and will start at 7:00pm. 

If it is part of a scheduled double header game, the game length will be 7 innings in length.  The first game of a double header will begin at 6:30 SHARP!  After 7:40 umpires will not begin a new inning in the first game and that game will end at the conclusion of the inning they are currently in.  PLAY FAST IF YOU WANT TO GET A FULL GAME IN.  The second game will begin as soon as the first game has ended, approximately 7:45. 

Women’s teams have a choice of whether they play 7 or 9 innings.  This will be decided prior to the start of the game.  Preferably, both teams will agree on the game length but if an agreement cannot be reached, the home team will have the final decision in game length.

Teams that are unable to legally field their team (as per the guidelines in #1 above) at the start time of the game are subject to the following penalties:

At the start time of the game, the offending team will forfeit the coin toss for “home” or “visitor” team.  The other team will have the choice of what they want.

After each 5 minutes that passes, the non-offending team will receive an additional 4 runs and one less inning will be played for the game.

(Example: if a men’s game is scheduled to start at 7:00 and one team cannot field the minimum required 8 guys on the field until 7:10, the other team would be home team and lead 8-0.  The game would also be reduced to 7 innings only.)

4.  Mercy Rules:

In all 9 inning games, the mercy rule is 15 runs after 7 innings, and 10 runs after 8 innings. If the home team in women’s games chooses only to play 7 innings, then there is no mercy rule. 

**Women’s Only - There is a maximum of 10 runs per inning allowed.  The last inning is open. 

 5.  Batter/Base Runner Rules:

If a runner steps off the base before the ball has been swung at or crosses the plate, the runner will be called out.

Teams are allowed to have a maximum of 4 courtesy runners per game.  The runner can be any player currently in the line-up, but must be a women for women or man for man.  You can use same runner for all 4 courtesy runners during game.

There is no home run rule limit in any game.

In Co-ed ball only, if a guy is walked (regardless of count) and a girl is batting after, he will be awarded second base and the girl is required to hit.

6.  Playoff Rules:

To be eligible to play in the year end playoffs each player in women’s, men’s, and mixed must play a minimum of 3 games during the season with the team.  This does not apply to just being a spare on the line-up card, but actually being in the game.  We will use the honour system, but should any protests or complaints come up at the year-end tournament with regards to eligibility, the executive will review the line-up cards from the year to make the final decision.

At the end of the regular season, the determination for your playoff seeding will be as follows:

1. Overall record throughout the year

2. If teams are tied in overall record, the record in their head-to-head games will be used as the tiebreaker.

3. If teams are still tied after the above rule 2, runs for and against in head-to-head games will be used as the tiebreaker.

4. If teams are still tied after the above rule 3, the better run differential throughout the year will be used.

5. Finally if teams are still tied after the above rule 4, a coin toss will be used as the tiebreaker.

If three or more teams are tied after the regular season, determination for playoff seeding will be as follows:

1A. If teams have played an equal number of games against eachother, the record in their head-to-head games will be used as the tiebreaker. 

1B. If teams have not played an equal number of games against eachother, run differential for the entire year will be used as the tiebreaker.

2A. If teams are still tied after rule 1, runs for and against in head-to-head games will be used as the tiebreaker.

2B. If teams are still tied after rule 1, a coin flip will be used as the tiebreaker.

3A. If teams are still tied after rule 2, a coin flip will be used as the tiebreaker,

7.  Cancellation of Games:

The baseball cancellation line is active again and the number is 204-268-2484.  This number will be updated daily by 5:30pm to inform teams if games will be cancelled due to weather conditions.  Any weather delay can still occur after that time; however it is up to the discretion of the umpire in charge of the game.

If a team is requiring to cancel a game for any reason other than weather related, they are to contact the umpire-in-chief, not the other team directly.  (Matt Bialek -  (204) 266-2936).  Teams that provide at least 24 hours notice, (must call before 7:00pm of the night before), will not lose the game and it can be rescheduled. 

All games that are cancelled due to either of the situations above will be rescheduled by the team managers at a date that will work for both teams in the future. Once a date has been agreed upon the umpire-in-chief needs to be contacted to ensure diamond availability and to schedule an umpire. 

Teams calling within 24 hours of the game will forfeit the game, but will not be fined.  Teams that fail to cal the umpire-in-chief and/or do not show up to the game with the minimum required players within 20 minutes of the start time are subject to fines as follows:

1^st offence – verbal warning, $40.00 fine (to cover the cost of the umpire)

2^nd offence or more - $50 fine

All fines are required to be paid in full to the executive or the umpire-in-chiefs before your next scheduled game or that game will be considered a forfeit as well.  It will not be the responsibility of the umpire-in-chiefs or executive to find you, YOU will be required to make arrangements with them.

8.  Lineup cards and Game Balls

All lineup cards are to be filled out prior to the start of the games. All players first and last names must me legibly printed on the card in order to keep track of proper games played for the yearend tournament. If any players are listed with only a first, last or nickname printed it will not count toward eligible games for the tournament. This is each teams own responsibility and you will not be called for clarification on who has played the game.

*Teams must give the umpire THREE game balls prior to each game. You will be hitting your own balls. Umpires are to check the game balls prior to the start of the game to ensure they are legal. Opposing players can also check the balls as they will be pitching them, any questions on the legality of the balls should be brought to the umpire immediately.

Umpire Rules:

VERY SIMPLE, UMPIRES RULINGS ARE FINAL!!

If a team has a problem with a call during the game of play and wishes to discuss it in a calm and mature manner, the coach or player who takes the coin toss for the team can discuss the call.  Anyone else yelling or swearing or abusing an umpire is subject to be ejected immediately from the game!  All ejections from a game will be reviewed by the executive and umpire-in-chief to determine if further repercussions are required.  We will be using a three strike system - Two warnings and then removal for the season. 

As with teams, umpires are required to show up for their games.  Umpires will be held accountable to attend games they have been scheduled for.  Failure to do so, or provide a suitable replacement will see penalties levied against them. 

If a team is wanting to protest a game, the protest must be brought to the umpire before the end of the game. Any protests that occur after the conclusion of the game will not be considered.

**UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL WE TOLERATE ANY FORMS OF BULLYING, RACISM, OR OTHER FORMS OF ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR.  PLEASE REPORT ANY ISSUES TO THE EXECUTIVE IMMEDIATELY!