House Rules

  We follow the NSA rule book but have some house rules that have been put into place to help keep everyone safe, to keep the games fair and to make sure everyone is having a great time. Any rule on this site overrules the NSA rule book.

  The umpires are paid to enforce the rules, but remember, they are human and will make mistakes from time to time. The ruling by the umpire on the field will stand. Any discussion on a call is only allowed after the game. Any abusive language will not be tolerated by the league and may result in a player being ejected from the game/park.

 
 

To review the rules, click on the following links or scroll down

Batting Order - Field of Play - Picking Up Players - Miscellaneous Rules

 
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Batting Order 

  • The batting order is set at the beginning of the game and exchanged with the other team so both teams can keep score.  

  • No more than 2 males may bat in a row.  

  • Each team must bat a minimum of 4 female spots in the batting order. If there are only 3 females playing, they rotate through however many female spots are needed. There is no maximum number.  

  • A player may be added to the batting order until the order has been batted through. Report changes to the other team.   

  • If a player is put on the batting order but they are not there to bat when it’s their turn, they are an out until they are available to bat. This may occur if a player is on the way but hasn’t shown up yet. If you have enough players you may ‘scratch’ them off and sub them into the game at a later time providing you are still following the basic batting order rules.  

  • An injury sustained during the game which eliminates the player from the batting order will not be an automatic out if the order can be adjusted by rotating the female batters, eliminating the male batter does not create more than 2 males in a row or a rostered player can be substituted in. Otherwise the spot WILL be an out. If a team can “pick up” to have the minimum players to continue, please do so, and no point will be forfeited

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Field of Play 

  • One (1) outfielder is allowed inside the 175’ line but must remain on the grass until the ball is hit. This rule does not apply to ADVANCED DIVISION 

  • The on-deck batter must give up right of way to the defender of the ball until TIME is called or an out may be given. 

  • The home run rule is “match + 2”. Any batter who hits a home run when their team is + 2 will be called out. 

  • The batter running to first base MUST touch the orange bag or they WILL be called out. The exception to this rule is if the batter is going to 2nd or is rounding first and thinking of heading to 2nd. If there is no play at 1st, the 1st base person must get out of the way.  

  • Any walk of 4 straight balls to a male batter with a female batter on deck puts the male batter on 2nd base. If there is a strike in the count the male batter walks to 1st base only.  

  • Each team is allowed 3 courtesy runners per game. If there is a designated injury mentioned at the time of the pregame coin toss, the courtesy runner is not considered part of the 3 allowed. You can ask for a courtesy runner no matter what base you are at. Any player in the line up can be the courtesy runner, but if you are on base when it’s your turn to bat, you will be called out on base.  

  • A FULL fielding team consists of 10 players.  

  • A team may field no more than 6 males and not less than 3 females. This rule changes to no more than 7 males and no less than 2 females in Advanced division.  

  • The minimum number of players to field a team is 8, consisting of not more than 5 males and not less than 3 females. (6 & 2 for Advanced) There must still be 9 spots in the batting order, one of which will be an automatic out.  

  • Any caught foul tip is an out. There does not need to be an arc. 

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Picking Up Players 

  • All “pick ups” MUST be on a WSPA roster for insurance coverage.  

  • Players must be added to the roster before the deadline. Deadline to be set once schedules are made.  

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Mountain Rules 

  • There shall be no excessive or dangly jewelry worn.   

  • Touching or crossing home plate is an out. Stay clear of the back catchers. In order for a run to count the base runner must cross the scoring line.  

  • The batter is out if they step on home plate before contact is made with the ball.  

  • Full coverage Baseball helmets are mandatory while batting and running bases. These must be baseball helmets that cover both ears. If a team has insufficient helmets, the most advanced base runner must give up their helmet to the person at bat and that base runner is now out. One eared helmets are not acceptable. 

  • All pitchers must wear a protective face mask. The league has provided every team with one mask. 

  • “Hit and Sit” rule is in play. When someone hits a homerun, the batter and all runners may go straight back to the dugout without running the bases. Players can choose to run if they’d like to. 

  • The mercy rule is +12 after 5 innings. +15 after 4 innings. 

  • The final (open) inning should start no later than 70 minutes after the scheduled start time of a game. Umpires must use their best judgement to implement this.  

  • If a game is called in the middle of an inning, the score will revert back to the last completed inning. This can happen because of lack of light, rain, lightening, etc. Spruce Grove lights automatically go off at 11pm every night. 

  • PREGAME CAPTAIN AND UMPIRE MEETING – There will be a pregame meeting before every game. If your captain is not in attendance, a temporary one must be designated and should do the pregame meeting with the umpire and opponent’s captain. If the designated captain is unavailable for the pregame meeting(busy writing lineup, bathroom, late, etc,) the umpire and other captain should be told who is the actual captain. The team captain should be the only one talking to the umpire about rules, calls, etc. At every pregame meeting there will be a coin toss to determine home/away, and this is when a team must designate any injured players that will be utilizing the unlimited runner rule.  

 ALLOCATION OF POINTS AND DIVISION WINNERS  

  • The winning team is allocated 2 points. The losing team is allocated 0 points. In the case of a tie, 1 point is awarded to each team.  

  • The division winner is the team that has accrued the most points during the season. Tiebreakers go in this order, Head to Head record, Head to Head +/-, Total +/-, coin toss. 

  • The division winner is subject to realignment and may be required to move up a division level in the next season. If they do not wish to move up a division, they may appeal the move up. They must make their case to the Board of Directors who will vote. The team in last place is also subject to realignment. Teams that win playoffs will be considered for promotion. Excessive amount of no-shows or teams “throwing games” may result in relegation or promotion, depending on the teams skill level and league needs.  

  • The winning coach will be responsible for entering the score on Sportsengine.com. Please report your scores at the end of your ball night.  After that you will have up until the following week night of your division to report otherwise you risk losing 1 point. There is a sportsengine app so adding the score will take seconds. 

 

NO SHOWING, FORFEITING AND RESCHEDULING OF GAMES  

  • A “no-show” is defined as a team giving less than 24 hours’ notice that it is forfeiting its games. If after 5pm on game night, they will be subject to an umpire fee of $40. 

  • In the first instance that a team no-shows they will receive a written warning and a staff or board member will speak to the team at their next game. This is to ensure that the whole team understands the consequences of no-showing. In the second instance the team loses their play-off privileges. If a third instance occurs, the matter will be taken to the board for further discussion. In order to avoid ‘no-show’ consequences, the team captain must notify both the opposing team captain and the league convenor at least 24 hours before the scheduled game time that they are forfeiting.  

  • A team captain may request to reschedule a game, as long as the request is made and approved by the opposing team captain and the league convenor more than 24 hours in advance of the scheduled game time. The opposing team can agree to the reschedule or refuse. If the opposing team agrees to the reschedule, the league convenor will provide a range of alternative dates and times that the game can be played. (In some cases it may not be possible to reschedule a game.) It is then the responsibility of the captains to arrange the reschedule and notify the league convenor of the new date and time of the game. The league convenor will then book the additional field time (if necessary) and notify the head umpire. The team requesting the reschedule will be required to pay any additional costs incurred by the league (i.e. umpire fees and field time).  

  • Teams are encouraged to add additional players to their roster, or play with “pick ups”, rather than no-showing or forfeiting.  Your roster is unlimited! Add anyone that could potentially play to NSA. 

  • What is considered a complete game if a game is called because of lack of light, rain, lightning, frogs, etc? Advanced = Any game with less than 5 full innings played will be rescheduled, 5 or more and we will take the score of the last completed inning as the final score. Intermediate & Novice = Any game with less than 4 full innings played will be rescheduled, 4 or more and we will take the score of the last completed inning as the final score. (This rule does not apply to games called because of time limit.) 

Mountain Rules vs NSA rules Highlights  

  • Bunting is not permitted by any player, swing away ballers!  

  • A female can pitch with a female catcher and visa versa, contrary to the NSA rule book 

  • There is no sliding at home, this rule is written in the rule book based on live plate scenarios, Whistler never has a live plate in the action 

  • Pitch height – A pitch must be 6-10ft or will be called illegal. We’ve previously player 6-12ft. 

  • NSA rule: 3rd Strike Foul Ball is a DEAD BALL. Runners cannot tag up and advance on a third strike foul ball. We have previously played by SPN rules where the ball is live on a third strike foul ball.

Advanced Division Rules 

  • “small ball/big ball.” The umpire will keep the balls and the defending team must throw the ball to the catcher/ump once time is called to have it switched. A girl can choose which ball she uses. If the wrong ball is used, the batting player can choose to keep the outcome as is, or re hit. Pitchers need to be aware of what ball they should be using 

  • “7&3.” - Teams can play 7&3 on defense but your batting line up must not have more than 2 males in a row, so will have 4 female spots in the line up, rotating accordingly.) 

  • The female line is not in play 

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