SloPitch Tournament Rules

Hitting

1. If there is an obstruction on a field (tree line, fence, etc) and the ball contact the obstruction in the air, a homerun will be declared.  Each team is only allowed one home run per inning.  If a hit roles into the obstruction, or is the second homerun of the inning, the hitter shall be given a ground-rule double.
2. Strike outs or foul balls on the third strike count as outs.
3. A batter walks following any four pitches that are balls (in one at bat).  If a man walks on four straight pitches and a woman is up to bat next, the player is granted second base (the woman still hits).
4. The top of the batting order must interchange male/female or female/male for at least the first six batters, or until you can no longer interchange the genders.
5. There is a 10 batter rule; if 3 outs are not made, the inning is over following the 10thbatter.  The final out is recorded as a force play at home plate.

Pitching

1. The ball must strike some part of the carpet or board to be a strike.  Home plate is not part of the strike zone. 
2.  Pitches must arc in the air between 6 & 12 feet.  If the pitch is under or over this height, the umpire calls a no pitch, and the batter is not allowed to hit it.  These pitches are considered balls, even if they hit the strike zone.

Baserunning

1. You can only slide at second and third base.  If a player slides at 1st base or home plate they are called out.
2. Baserunners cannot leave their respective bases until contact with the ball is made by the batter.  A lead off is an out.
3. A commitment line exists (and will be drawn) 2/3 of the way toward home from 3^rd base. If this line is crossed, the runner is forced to contiinue home.
4. When running home, you do not touch home plate.  Run behind the plate, and pass the scoring line to prevent injuries.
5. All outs at first base and home plate are force plays.  Therefore, no tagging at these bags.

Notes

1. No metal spikes allowed.
2. All students must have their student card present at the game, or they will not be allowed to play.
3. Games will be 5 innings, or 1 hour and 15 minutes.  If the time limit is reached, the score at the end of the last completed inning will stand.
4. The winning team is responsible for marking the score, and for recording where both teams will go in the draw. 
5. Please be on time for all games.
6. Teams umpire when they are at bat.
7. A team has 10 minutes after the scheduled start of the game to field at least 8 players.  You must provide your own catcher.  For each minute you are late, the other team is awarded one run.  You will be charged with a default if you can’t field 8 players 10 minutes after scheduled game time.
8. In the event of a tie (after 5 innings, or at the time limit) extra innings will be played as necessary. These extra innings will be “one-pitch” rules: teams pitch to themselves, one pitcher per batter, either hit or out, each inning begins with a runner on 2^nd base (the last out from the previous inning).
9. Each team may have no more than 2 staff members on their roster.