JAM rules for Softball (Slo-pitch) Officiated

© JAM 1996-2024

  

Softball – Slo-Pitch (Officiated)

 

The following guidelines supersede any of our traditional rules for Softball. We have made adjustments to promote safe participation while minimizing the impact of these changes to the in-game experience.

• All players must be listed on the team roster to participate, no exception. The online roster may include more than 12 players and subs but no more than 12 should attend any given game. This is done to ensure the 25 person limit per sports field is met. 
• Please review the location details in your schedule for site-specific guidelines.
• Please keep in mind that we are all responsible to make every effort to minimize prolonged or deliberate contact between players.
• While standings may still appear in your schedule, there is significantly less focus being placed on winning and championships. New teams may be added and teams may be removed throughout the season for health and safety reasons. 
• At this time masks are not mandatory during gameplay. Masks are mandatory to access any indoor portion of the facility. We encourage players to wear masks to and from the fields to help reduce your risk of exposure.
• Roster guidelines are still being observed to help balance team participation but are being relaxed as it relates to defaults. Teams will not default if they are unable to meet minimum roster guidelines. Captains should be communicating with each other in advance to ensure opponents are aware and to address any concerns. Our primary goal is to get people back out and playing. Please do not abuse this rule.
• Subs maintain a 2-meter distance from one another along the sideline.
• High-fives or any other physical acknowledgments are not allowed. Please find another physically distanced way to acknowledge your opponents.
• Teams should come with multiple softballs each and sanitizer or wipes for players to clean the balls between innings.
• Teams are encouraged to swap in clean balls more frequently if desired.
• Every effort should be made during gameplay to limit any prolonged physical contact with your opponents. 
• Deliberate contact should be avoided with the understanding that we are playing with a reduced level of intensity. 
• A “Play-on” mentality is enforced - no arguing or disputing calls.
• Teams are responsible for administering and addressing their own first aid needs. Our League Ambassadors can call 911 if requested to do so.
• Please take all of your belongings at the end of the session including any used PPE. It’s unlikely that garbage receptacles will be available at the fields

Click here for a score sheet (Adobe PDF version).  You will need Acrobat Reader to view and print this document: Click here to download and install this FREE software.

 

JAM is for Everyone – Inclusion Statement

Our program offerings are designed to be inclusive for all members of the JAM community. Our goal is to create a welcoming gender policy that uplifts and supports each player where they are at. To ensure we can offer something for everyone, our programs may be offered in the following formats: Mixed-Gender, Women's, Men's, and Open.

Many of our league rules specify gender-based roster requirements, the goal of which is to ensure that each player has an equal opportunity to be included in gameplay.

Everyone participating in a JAM program is welcome to compete based on their gender identity and gender expression; regardless of their gender assigned at birth. Members whose gender identity does not align with the binary man/woman construct are welcome to play in all our mixed-gender and open programs.

Nonbinary, trans, genderqueer, and all other players who identify as a gender minority can count towards the roster minimums for either men or women in our mixed-gender leagues

 

Game Time

Games are seven innings in length with a time limit of 90 minutes. Please arrive early to ensure you get the full use of your allotted diamond time. Regardless of when your game begins your game will always end on time to allow the succeeding games to begin at their scheduled time. No new inning may be started after 80 minutes. There is a hard cap at 90 minutes.  If the home team is trailing in the game and the current inning is not completed by the 90-minute mark, the score of the game will be the score at the end of the previous completed inning.  If the score is tied, or the home team is ahead at the 90-minute mark, the score will be taken as is at the time of the 90-minute curfew.  

Poor Weather Conditions: Games that are forced to be cut short due to dangerous playing conditions (i.e. weather), or are not complete in the 85 minute game time will end with the final score being the score at the end of the previous completed inning as long as 30 minutes or 3 innings have been played. 

Players

Teams are comprised of ten (10) players (1 rover) with a minimum of two (2) men or gender minority players and two (2) women or gender minority players on the field at once. A team can play with a minimum of 8 people. A team must supply their own catcher. A team that has less than 2 women or gender minority players or less than 2 men or gender minority players will be subjected to a default loss. Captains may agree to wave rules regarding roster minimums (if it's agreed that the game counts, it counts!).

Roster Numbers: Each team must have a minimum of two (2) women or gender minority players and two (2) men or gender minority players on the diamond at all times.

Defaults:  A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad by 15 minutes after the official start time. A team may play with 8 players if they are shorthanded but must supply their own catcher.

Eligible Players: During the regular season, team captains can use ANYONE as a player for their team as long as they are listed on a JAM team roster. This includes adding last minute players from games just completed prior to the start of your game. When adding players in this manner, it is good sportsmanship to let your opponents know. As well, it is also sportsmanlike to only add players of the same approximate skill level. i.e. please do not add superstars to your recreational team.  In compliance with the above player eligibility rule, players are able to play in multiple games on any given day (as full time or substitute players), but once a commitment is made to play for a specific team, for a specific game, that player must remain with that team for the duration of the game.  A player cannot move from one team to another during the course of a game.  Exception: if a team acquires a sub from another team to achieve the minimum number of players until their teammates arrive.  In this scenario, that player can return to their original team, once the team is able to field a full lineup.

 

Playing Area

All softball diamonds vary in size and there is no set standard for JAM Softball Surfaces, however, all bases must be set out to JAM standards.

The Umpire is responsible for setting up the bases. Please inform the Umpire or Event Coordinator if the field needs to be adjusted. This must be done before the game has started.  

 

Equipment/Set Up

Team captains are responsible for bringing three (3) softballs as well as copies of the field permits to all games (if necessary). It is the teams' responsibility to bring their own gloves to all games as well as any extra softballs if the original three are lost. 

 

Softballs:

• The official softball of JAM leagues is a 12" yellow softball (.52 COR/275 LBS).

Base Distance:  

• Softball bases should be placed roughly 25 paces apart, or whatever works best given the size of the diamond. Both teams should agree on the placement of the bases.

Bats:

• Only bats approved by the ASA or the USSSA, and which don’t appear on a list of banned bats, will be deemed legal.  All bats must be softball bats (cannot be baseball bats). 
  • ASA Banned bat list: http://usa.asasoftball.com/e/build_batlist_one_page.asp 
  • USSSA Banned bat list:  http://web.usssa.com/usssa/usssa-general/Withdrawn&Non-CompliantBaseballBats.pdf 
  • More info: http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/Play-ASA/Certified-ASA-Equipment.aspx 
• No throwing of the bat at any point during the game. Players are required to be mindful of everyone's safety and prevent any possibility of injury. 
• Most approved softball bats have the following logo's: 

Head Protection:

• A mask is available for back catchers - this is a strongly recommended piece of equipment. Softball helmets for batters, base runners and pitchers are not mandatory. However, it is strongly recommended that players or teams supply and wear their own helmets if they chose to do so in the interest of safety.

Cleats: 

• Metal cleats are not allowed

 

Jewellery:

• Players may not wear any jewellery during the game. All jewellery must be removed (cannot be taped over). Umpires will be very strict about this rule.

 

Uniforms

Teams are required to bring both light and coloured shirts to every game. Team colours are posted on the JAM website in your schedule. If two teams have the same colour the team captains should contact each other to ensure that each team knows what colour to wear.

Defaults: There is no default for players that don’t wear the right colour. However, that player must do everything they can to ensure it’s not confusing for the opposition. Whether this means wearing a pinny, a hat, a teammate’s shirt, etc. Under no circumstances can a player purposefully deceive the opposition.

 

Ground Rules

If necessary, captains should discuss with the umpire and decide prior to the start of the game if they are going to play any ground rules with regards to boundaries. Please make sure that both teams are aware of these rules so there is no confusion.

 

Batting Order (Updated Spring 2024)

Softball 101

This league will be governed by the SPO Rules, with the following exceptions/highlights:

• Teams pitch to their opponents (this is not 3-pitch), with a mat being used as the basis for balls and strikes (Slo-pitch). The mat will be approximately 2ft x 3ft and the entire 2ft x 3ft area is considered to be the strike zone.  If the mat has a "V Cut-out" area, the mat must be pulled up so that the front edges of the mat align with the top edges of the plate, creating a 2ft x 3ft rectangle.  With this setup, the exposed part of the plate is part of the rectangle and thus, part of the strike zone.  Pitches must have a minimum arc of 6ft (1.83m) and a maximum arc of 12 ft (3.65m). A foul ball on a third strike is an out.
• Teams are comprised of ten (10) players on the field. A team may play with 8 players if they are shorthanded but must supply their own catcher.
• Teams must bat in a set order, with no limit to the number of batters. Late arriving players will be placed at the bottom of the batting order.
• There is no set fielding line-up (players may switch positions from inning to inning), but all players must field at least every other inning (cannot sit for 2 innings or more in a row). The only exception to this rule is due to an in-game injury, and the opposing captain must agree to waive this rule.
• There is absolutely no sliding into any base, offensively or defensively. Any base runner that slides is automatically out.
• We strongly suggest the catcher wear the provided mask.
• Metal cleats are not allowed.
• 1st base will have "safety bases". As such, there will be a base for the first baseperson to touch and a separate base for the runner to step on. This is only on ground balls to first (i.e. if a batter hits an outfield single and there is no play at first, they may touch the white base). Once a player has safely reached first base, the safety base will then be considered to be the ground, so the runner may only use the white base as their base.
• A player can overrun 1st base ONLY.
• A scoring line and commitment line will be used for plays at home. The commitment line will be halfway between 3rd base and home, and once a runner crosses that line, they cannot return to 3rd base. If they do, it is an automatic out (no appeal to the umpire is necessary). All plays at home are force-outs (the runner may not be tagged once he passes the commitment line and the runner must cross the scoring line and NOT touch the mat/home plate). On plays at home plate, the catcher/fielder can stand on the mat or the exposed portion of the plate to register an out.
• There is no bunting or faking to bunt. However, a ball that is hit with a full swing, but does not go past the pitcher IS a live, playable ball. Intentionally "chopping" the ball (so it bounces high) is not allowed. This will be at the umpire's discretion.
• Mercy rule: If a team is up by 15 runs or more after the 5th inning of play, the losing team has the option of calling the game or choosing to continue.
• A team can only score a maximum of eight (8) runs in one inning.
  • EXCEPTION: A team has no run limit in the final inning of the game.
• There are no leadoffs for base runners; you must wait until contact with the ball is made. Stealing is not allowed.
• The "home" team will be determined by a coin toss (rock - paper - scissors is welcome as well). In the Playoffs, the home team will be the higher-placed team in the regular season standings.
• The infield-fly rule will be in effect.
• Players may not wear any jewellery during the game. All jewellery must be removed (cannot be taped over). Umpires will be very strict about this rule.
• Games can end in a tie during the regular season. For playoffs, if a game is tied after 7 innings or 80 minutes, teams will utilize the following format: The visiting team will start the inning by placing the last out from the previous inning on second base with one (1) out. Once 3 outs have been reached, the home team will then place their last out from the previous inning on second base, also with one (1) out, and proceed to bat until 3 outs is reached. Teams will take turns doing this until the score is settled upon the completion of a full inning. This format is continued until the tie is broken.
• As per SPO rules, there is no longer a height requirement for an out to be recorded if the catcher catches a batted/foul ball. If the ball makes contact with the bat and the catcher makes a legal catch on the ball, an out will be recorded. 
• A team may use a maximum of three (3) courtesy runners per game (can be any player).  If the courtesy runner is due up to bat, they must be replaced with another courtesy runner and the original courtesy runner will come up to bat.  The replacement courtesy runner counts toward the total of three per game.  If all three courtesy runners have been used and a courtesy runner on base is due up to bat, an out must be taken.)
• An outfielder is permitted to throw the ball to first base.

 

Regular Season Matches

All regular season matches can end in a tie.

 

Playoffs Eligibility and Tiebreak

There must be a winner in a playoff match. In the event that the match ends in a tie, teams will partake in the following tie-breaker until a winner is determined:

For playoffs, if a game is tied after 7 innings or 80 minutes, teams will utilize the following format: The visiting team will start the inning by placing the last out from the previous inning on second base with one (1) out. Once 3 outs have been reached, the home team will then place their last out from the previous inning on second base, also with one (1) out, and proceed to bat until 3 outs is reached. Teams will take turns doing this until the score is settled upon the completion of a full inning. This format is continued until the tie is broken.

 

Rough Play

Any rough or physical play will result in immediate expulsion from further league play and may result in a lifetime league expulsion. Please see the JAM policy sheet for our official policy on this subject. It is recognized that incidental contact between players is inevitable; however, all players should go out of their way to avoid creating an unsafe play.  This rule supersedes all others. 

Please note that on-site staff and referees have full autonomy when supervising games. Games may be stopped entirely, players may be asked to leave the playing area or be removed from the game entirely under their discretion.

 

Alcohol

There are absolutely no alcoholic beverages permitted on JAM property. Any offenders will be asked to leave the league without refund. No exceptions.