Men’s Slow Pitch Rules

Christian Sports 2019 Season Rules * MEN’S DIVISION

Annual Coaches Meeting:
Rule: Creating, amending or changing rules is to be done at the annual coaches meeting by the coaches in attendance. Adjustments to rules will require a 51% minimum vote of those in attendance at the meeting. New Teams: Coaches not having played in our league are encouraged to attend their first rules meeting but may not cast a vote until having played in the league for a minimum of 1 season.
Jersey colours will be picked at this meeting and those coaches in attendance will have first choice of their team colours for the upcoming season.
Rule change proposals and agenda items must be sent to the league administration office 1 week prior to the annual meeting night.

Scheduling: Playoffs will start the week after the regular season ends.

(All items marked in Blue are new or changed for this season)

The overall purpose and focus of this league
is to provide a Christian based, fellowship oriented, opportunity to enjoy the fellowship of neighbouring churches and give everyone playing the opportunity to enjoy the great game of baseball on a social / recreational level.

The rules presented herein are supplemental to the Golden rules of the bible with respect to the expected conduct of a team and each individual player. All rules outlined below will stand above any NSA Rules. The Official NSA Rule Book on the NSA website will also stand where no specific Christian Sports League rule is stated below. To proceed to the NSA page click here.

Player / Team Rules

  1. Players must attend church on a regular basis (3 of 5 Sundays), except for a maximum 2 un-churched players for the purpose of outreach. Also, a maximum of 2 players from any “city league”, ranked C and above, can be placed on a team roster. If a player is outreach and plays on a city league, ranked C and above, he would count as one of each.
  2. Players must be a minimum age of 16 years old by December 31.
  3. All games are to be started with prayer led by the home team.
  4. Rain out games will not be made up and the scheduled teams will receive one point each. Teams not able to field a team on a scheduled game night will receive a forfeit and the opposing team will be marked as the winner at a score of 7 to 0.
  5. Players must play 40% of the regular season to be eligible for the playoffs. An injured player can attend games while injured (to cheer on his team) and he can count those games for the 40%. The injured player
    MUST be added to the opposing teams score sheet, at the bottom, and marked as injured and for safety purposes MUST NOT PLAY!
  6. Subs are not required to pay. A sub can only play a maximum of 5 games. Subs cannot play in the playoffs without written consent from the commissioner’s office.
  7. A player can only play for one team in the league (i.e. if a church has 2 Men’s teams.) Players can play on a coed and a men’s team.
  8. In the event of light rain or mist, games are generally still played. Games will be cancelled by the Umpire at the diamond or by a league official prior to game start.
  9. Smoking, profanity, disrespectful language or gestures, and / or under the influence of drugs or alcoholic beverages are prohibited at any game, on or off the field. This is a ZERO tolerance rule. Any player found in contravention of the above will result in automatic suspension from the current game as well as the next scheduled game. Second infraction will result in league expulsion.
  10. Both home and away team coaches will provide the umpire with the final score at the end of the game.
    Game Rules
  11. When the Umpire calls “time” only one (1) coach may enter the infield to question or dispute a call. Coaches should identify themselves to the plate umpire before game start.
  12. MERCY RULE: When the batting team starts the inning, tied or ahead of the opposing team they are allowed a maximum of 7 runs for that inning. When a team starts their turn at bat, behind the opposing team, in runs, they may catch the opposing team and go past them by a maximum of 7 runs. Last inning will be an Open inning with an unlimited amount of runs possible.
  13. Games are maximum seven (7) innings in duration and will not extend past one hour and fifteen minutes (1:15) from scheduled start time, except to use the 10 minute grace period to finish an inning. There is a 10 minute grace period after the 1 hour 15 minutes, where an incomplete inning may be finished.
  14. The final inning will be an open inning. The umpire will announce “Final Inning” to BOTH teams, after 60 minutes of game play, at the top (beginning) of the next inning.
  15. Prior to commencement of the game, starting pitchers will be allowed four (4) warm-up pitches. Every subsequent inning after that the pitcher will be allowed three (3). There will be no infield or outfield warm-up after the 1st inning. This includes throwing the ball around the bases, after the pitchers warm up, or after any play is complete, if the batter is in place. Games will end at the last completed inning
  16. The Home-plate umpire will be in charge of the time clock and will advise each team of the time remaining at the end of the sixth inning or after 1 hour and 5 minutes from the scheduled start time.
  17. Games are to start at the time stated on the Game Schedule. A 10-minute grace period will be provided by the Umpire in the event that a team does not have the minimum number of eligible players. A team will forfeit the game upon expiration of the grace period. The game will not be given extra time for late starts.
  18. Each team will play with a maximum of ten (10) defensive players.
  19. Each team must field a minimum of eight (8) eligible players to start a game. Late arrival players may be added to the bottom of the line-up at any time. (The opposing team must be notified prior to the late arrival player taking the bat.)
  20. All players are to bat in the order of line-up rotation.
  21. Players other than the pitcher can be substituted at the beginning of any inning or half inning (with exception to injury). Injury replacements are for that reason only. Please do not take advantage of this exception.
  22. Pitching substitutions may be made at any new batter. Only two (2) pitching substitutions (except for injury) will be allowed per inning.
  23. Players who attend games with an injury or health concern must inform their coach. The player must inform the umpire, every at bat, that a substitute runner is required, before he bats.
  24. All batters must be able to run for themselves to 1st base.
  25. A batter, who has asked for a substitute, cannot round 1st base. Any hit that he gets will be a single, unless it is an out of the park home run, in which case the home run will count, and the batter may elect to walk off the field directly to the dugout/bench.
  26. Out of the park home runs. The batter will have the option to run the bases or simply walk to your dugout/bench after you hit your home. The batting team is responsible for finding their home run balls, hit out of the park, to assist in continuance of game play. 
  27. A runner will be called safe at home if his foot touches the home plate line or makes contact with the ground past the line before the ball is caught by the fielder. The fielder must have at least one (1) foot on home plate.
  28. Home Runs will be 3 + 1up. Maximum of 3 home runs unless both teams have 3, then it bumps up one additional home run allowed, per team (making it 4 home runs per team) and so on keeping one up maximum. Home runs after 3 where the 1 up rule does not apply will count as a single.
  29. A pitcher may elect to walk a batter without pitching to him. He will simply state “INTENTIONAL WALK” to the home plate umpire and point to 1st base. The batter will take his place at first base.

Equipment Rules

  1. Manditory – Each team will use the scorebook provided by the league to score every league game that they play in. The scoring in the team’s scorebook is required by the league. It may be called in at any time to verify playoff eligibility, to settle any disputes or for other reasons.
  2. The league will provide each team with 1 new baseball for every scheduled home game. 
  3. The home team will supply a new ball to the umpire prior to the game start.
  4. The visiting team will provide a second used ball in good condition.
  5. All bases will be put out prior to game start by the league.
  6. Steel cleats are prohibited.
  7. Each team is required to have a first aid kit.
  8. Bat rules will follow NSA rules for bats.

Questions or comments?
Email: baseball@computerelite.net
Call (705)415-1888

REV 03-12-2019