Bloordale Ladies Slo-Pitch Rules 2026

GENERAL BLOORDALE PRINCIPLES

• The mission at Bloordale is to provide all participants with an opportunity to enjoy the game and at the same time to develop their athletic, social and interpersonal skills.
• For all those who volunteer to coach, it is our goal to be fair to all players, fellow coaches and umpires. We should always be good role models by always promoting sportsmanship and fair play
• All players are entitled and should be encouraged to play all positions. All players are entitled to equal playing time.
• No rules will be changed, deleted or altered in any way without consultation from the Umpire in Chief and League President.
• All Coaches, players, umpires, spectators and league officials shall adhere to the Bloordale Code of Conduct that can be found on bloordalebaseball.com.

Regular Ontario Baseball Association rules will be applied with the following exceptions specific to Bloordale Ladies Slo-pitch:

 

GAME GUIDELINES:

Before the start of each game there will be a plate meeting with the Umpire and Coach/Captain of each team to:

• Review the commitment line, foul line, score line, and out of play lines and confirm proper alignment.
• Review specific Slo-Pitch rules for the league.
• Determine no new inning to start 15 minutes prior to sun set based on the sunset time according to google.

All games should be completed, when possible, but If weather issues occur (includes rain, heat, lightning, smoke) during the games-all coaches and umpires will meet between/in middle of fields area to agree on calling games if delay possible.

On game day, the convenor will, to the best of their ability, make a call for game cancellation through coaches messaging network by 4pm.

 

FIELD SET-UP:

Bases are placed 55 feet from the back of Home Plate to the front of 1st Base and 55 feet from the back of Home Plate to the front of 3rd Base. Measuring tape/marked rope is in the Equipment box on the field. Second Base can be visually lined up with the pitcher’s mat and Home Plate, then with 1st and 3rd bases to form the diamond shape. All bases must be fastened securely in their designated places. Metal fasteners should oppose the direction of the incoming base runner.

The pitching rubber is to be placed at 45 feet from the back of home plate measuring to the front of the rubber.

The Slo-Pitch diamond has four (4) additional lines that are to be clearly marked on the field/diamond by the home team and confirmed by the Umpire.

• The “Commitment Line” is located half-way between 3^rd Base and Home
• The “Score Line” is a straight line extending from the front of the home plate to the
• Foul lines are determined using a tape measure or string to extend the base line past 1^st and 3^rd base as far as possible.
• Out of play/bounds lines will be marked 7 ft from the outer edge of 1^st, 3^rd base line EXCEPT @ the city diamond, where the ball is out of play if it hits the fence by 1^st or 3^rd
• A DOUBLE BASE is mandatory for use as 1st Base. One half of the base is White and is to be securely fastened in fair territory and the other half is Orange and is to be securely fastened in foul territory.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

HOME TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES:

During the Regular Season the home team will be determined by the convenor and indicated on the schedule.

During the Playoffs and Final, the team with the higher league standing will have home field advantage. If it’s a tie for position, there will be a coin flip.

 It is the Home Team’s responsibility to set up the field, to place the equipment back in the locked equipment box at the end of the game and provide the “new” game ball.

 

SCOREKEEPING GUIDELINES:

Prior to the start of the game the teams should exchange a line up of players in the correct batting order. The Batting Order must remain constant throughout the game.

Each team is responsible for keeping their own score. Scorekeepers should cross reference with the opposing team every few innings to make sure scores agree. Home team is ultimately responsible for the official score and to report the official score to the convenor.

The Mercy Rule (maximum of 5 scored runs) is in effect for all innings prior to the last inning. The “last” inning is considered “open” to any number of scored runs.

A Team consists of 10 players in the field at one time. Defensive positions are Pitcher, Catcher, 1st, 2nd, 3rd base, Shortstop, Left, Centre, and Right field and Rover.

The use of shoes with metal cleats, exposed metal or toe pieces is prohibited for safety reasons.

No substitute players shall be permitted to play. All players must have paid their fees and be registered with Bloordale baseball, women’s Slo-Pitch.

The minimum number of players before a default is declared is EIGHT league players. If a team is short players they may “borrow” a league player(s) from another team, to avoid the forfeit.  That borrowed player(s) will play the game in its entirety as a full contributing team member.

If a team has only 8 players the game can continue without forfeit but the opposing team must provide a Catcher, it can be a different player each inning. This Catcher will be a non-contributor. A non-contributor can not make Outs or be involved in any way except to return the ball to the Pitcher.

During playoff games there will be no sharing of players- The minimum number of players before a default is declared is EIGHT league players.

A Forfeited Game (mandatory score of 7 to 0) shall be declared by the Umpire in favour of the Team not at fault in the following cases:

1. If a Team fails to appear upon the field with a minimum of EIGHT players
2. If after a game has begun, a Team refuses to play, or resume play as directed by the Umpire
3. If a team uses tactics clearly designed to delay or hasten the playing of the game as determined by the

Players in the field may be changed at any time but there can be no more than 10 defensive players.

If players arrive late (i.e. after the game has started) and are not present for their first turn at bat, their name must be moved to the bottom of the line-up for the rest of the game, and the opposing team is to be notified of the line-up change.

If players leave the game early, their names are to be crossed off the list, and the opposing team is to be notified. There is no penalty (e.g. no automatic out) for players leaving the game early.

A Regulation Game consists of 7 innings. Seven full innings are not played if the home team scores the winning run in 6 innings or before the 3^rd out is made in their half of the 7^th inning. A game called by the Umpire, which cannot be resumed within 30 minutes, may be regulation if:

• Four or more innings have been
• Home Team has scored the winning run during the uncompleted 4^th inning, or
• After 3 ½ innings, the Visiting team has been outscored by the Home

NOTE: The Umpire can call a game at any time because of rain, lightning, darkness, panic, or for any other cause which puts the Umpire or the Players in peril.

Regulation games can end in a Tie.

There are no ground rule doubles to be awarded for interference in the field by trees, fences or other natural hazards.

There is no automatic homerun rule.  The ball is in play until the fielding player retrieves the ball and returns it to the infield or the batter has completed touching all the bases (homerun).

Infield fly rule does not apply

 

PLAYOFF GAMES:

• Cannot end in a Tie
• If tied the scoring will revert to the previous completed inning as far back as the 4^th
• If the score is still tied the game must be completed at another time, original line ups may change when the game is replayed.
• There will be no sharing of players- The minimum number of players before a default is declared is EIGHT league players.

 

PITCHING:

Pitchers can pitch Maximum of 4 innings total in a game.

At the beginning of each half of the inning, five practice pitches will be allowed. Only a definite underhand motion is permitted in the delivery of a pitch. Once the pitcher starts her pitching motion, the batter may not request time out.

NOTE: Pitchers may not deliberately “walk” a batter.

Legally delivered pitches:

• The pitched ball must have a perceptible arc of at least 6 feet from the ground before it passes any part of home plate and shall not reach a height of over 12 feet at its highest point from the
• Illegally pitched balls include:
  • All pitches made by the pitcher from other than the pitching zone and pitcher’s position
  • The pitcher fails to face home plate on delivery of the pitch

In each case, an illegally pitched ball shall be called immediately when it occurs, and a ball be awarded to the batter. The Umpire will call the illegal pitch loud enough for the Batter and Pitcher to hear. If the batter swings at any illegally pitched ball, the pitch will immediately become legal. The ball is alive and in play if hit by the batter.

Appealing After Ball is Dead/Dead Ball Appeal: Once the ball has been returned to the infield and “TIME” has been called by the Umpire, or the ball becomes dead, any infielder, including the pitcher or catcher, with or without possession of the ball, may make a verbal appeal on a runner missing a base or leaving a base prior to the ball being caught. The Umpire must acknowledge the appeal and then decide on the play. base runners may not leave their bases during this appeal process as the ball remains dead until the Umpire calls “PLAY BALL”.

A “STRIKE” is called by the Umpire

1. For each fairly delivered pitch that passes through the strike zone and touches any part of the home plate and/or batting mat
2. For each pitch struck at and missed by the batter
3. For each batted ball striking the batter while she is in the batter’s box
4. For each foul tip – a legally batted ball which goes directly from the bat with no perceptible arc, to the catcher’s hand or glove and is caught by the (The batter is Out if this is the 3^rd strike)
5. For each foul ball not caught on the (Batter is out if the foul fly is caught)

 

A “BALL” is called by the Umpire on each pitch not swung at by the batter, if:

1. The pitched ball does not enter the strike zone or does not attain the 6-12 foot arc before dropping to the home plate/mat
2. The ball strikes the ground before reaching home plate or any part of the mat
3. For any ball striking the batter while she is in the batter’s box

 

BUNTING:

No intentional bunting (as ruled by the umpire) is allowed. The player will be called out.  

 

DOUBLE BASE @ 1^st:

The following rules apply to the Double Base:

1. If a batted ball hits ANY PART of the white bag, it is a fair ball and if it hits COMPLETELY on the orange bag, it is a foul
2. If a play is made to 1st Base, the batter-base runner’s first attempt to reach first base must be to touch some portion of the orange bag. If she touches only the white bag, she is to be called
3. A defensive player must always use only the white bag or some portion of it. If she touches only the orange the runner is safe.
4. Once a batter-base runner has attained 1st Base, and time is called, she must use only the white portion of the base. This includes:
   1. After overrunning first base or after rounding 1st Base, if applicable, and the base runner decides not to advance, she must return to the white
   2. After overrunning first base or after rounding 1st Base, if applicable, and the base runner touches only the orange portion and decides to advance further, she need not retouch the white
   3. When tagging up, the base runner must use the white

 

MAKING AN OUT AT HOME PLATE:

Catchers must have their foot on part of the Home Plate (NOT the mat) when making an Out at home. The mat is purely for pitching placement purposes.

 

A baserunner is OUT under the following circumstances:

1. If she physically touches Home Plate/Mat rather than just crossing the Scoring
2. When she touches the “Commitment Line” half-way between Third Base and Home with one foot or crosses the Line and attempts to run back again to Third Base, to avoid being Out at
3. Leaves the base prior to the ball being swung at (even if no contact). Tagging up and running on a caught outfield fly is permitted.
4. Sliding is not permitted at any base or home plate.

 

AWARDED BASES:

If a fielder “overthrows” on a play @ 1^st Base, 3^rd Base or Home Plate (see Out of Play/bounds above in Field set up section), the Umpire will award the base runner(s) ONLY ONE base beyond the next touched base that the base runner was running towards. The 7’ out of play/bounds line will be marked with a line or chalk/paint.

 

COURTESY RUNNERS:

A courtesy runner may be used only after the Batter/Runner has safely made it to First base. The player who was the Last Out to be used as the courtesy runner. The player or coach must indicate “Time” and inform the umpire and opposing team that the runner is being replaced by a courtesy runner. There is no limit to the number of courtesy runners used in a game, provided there is a valid medical reason for the player to have a courtesy runner. This provision is not to be used to replace slower runners with faster runners. Players requesting courtesy runners should consider their safety when playing active defensive positions.