Playing PRocedures
Playing Field:
Bases are approximately 65 feet apart.
Pitcher’s mound and the Batters Box are approximately 50-60 feet apart.
A Pitcher’s safety net will be placed approximately 5 feet in front of the pitching mound for pitcher safety.
The Scoring line and Commitment line are 21 feet apart.
Equipment:
Gloves are to be worn by every player. Trappers may be worn by Catchers, Pitchers, and/or first basemen only.
Shoes must not have metal cleats.
Bats must be approved by SPO. See SPO website for Approved Bat list (requires USSSA stamp).
Balls must be SPO certified Hot Dot 12”. See SPO website for Approved Ball list.
Shirts/jerseys must always be worn.
It is strongly recommended that no jewelry be worn in any play. If worn, each player is solely responsible for any injury/damage that may be caused by jewelry.
NOTE: In the interest of player safety, SPO strongly recommends the use of approved helmets (not provided by the MSPL) for all offensive players to include the batter. baserunner(s), and on-deck batter.
Team:
The batting order shall consist of a minimum of 9 players, and a maximum of up to 20 players. Only 10 players may play the field.
Short-handed/Player Pickups: If a team has or 8 or less rostered players, they may pickup player(s) from a different team within the league. The team picking up players is only allowed to pickup up 9 players total. Please indicate player pickups on the scoresheet using a *.
If a team has 9 rostered players, they may not pickup players from other teams.
Substitutions: Any player in the batting order may be replaced during any stoppage of play with a legal roster player not already in the batting order. All substitutes must be listed on the batting order prior to the start of the game. All substitutions must be announced to the umpire.
Player unable to continue: If a player is unable to continue in the game and no legal substitute is available when he/she is due up to bat, the player is declared out and play will continue with the next player in the batting order. If, with 2 out, the batter before the missing player is walked (intentional or unintentional), the automatic out is waived, and the next batter will bat.
Blood Rule: Any participant (player, coach, umpire) who is bleeding or has blood on their uniform may not participate until the bleeding is controlled and the uniform is changed. If this cannot be done quickly, a replacement player may be used for the remainder of the inning. If the player is not able to return to the game, an official substitute must be used. If a substitute is not available, the player will be declared out the next time the player is due to bat.
Playoffs: Players must meet the minimum required games played in the regular season to qualify for Playoffs. For the 2024 season, the minimum number of games played in the regular season to qualify for Playoffs is 7.
Courtesy Runner:
A team may use up to three (3) courtesy runners per game.
The courtesy runner must be a player listed on the batting order (scoresheet).
The courtesy runner must be announced to the home plate umpire before the runner takes their place on the base. Please indicate on the scoresheet if a player is being used as a courtesy runner using the abbreviation CC next to their name on the batting order (scoresheet).
When a courtesy runner is used, a male runner must replace a male runner; a female runner must replace a female runner.
The same runner cannot be used more than once.
Game Duration:
All regular season games consist of 7 innings or 1 hour and 15 minutes from the start of the scheduled game time. The umpire will announce “last inning” when time is running out. No new inning will start after 1 hour 5 minutes. If all 7 innings are completed, or the game time exceeds the time limit and the score is tied, the game will end tied.
All playoff games will consist of 7 innings. There will be no time limit on playoff games. If all 7 innings are completed and the game is tied, extra inning(s) will be used. See “extra inning” playing procedure.
Extra Innings:
Only applicable in an elimination game: If 7 innings are completed and the game remains tied, every subsequent half-inning will begin with a runner on second base. The runner on second will be the player in the batting order — or a substitute for such player — immediately preceding that half-inning’s leadoff hitter.
Mercy Rule:
A team shall be declared the winner if they are 12 or more runs ahead of the opposition after 5 innings (or 6 innings if the visiting team). A team may voluntarily withdraw from the game if trailing by 15 runs after 3 full innings of play.
Note: A maximum of 5 runs may be scored per inning (exception is the last inning of the game, known as the “open inning”).
Note: If a game ends in a Mercy, the teams may opt to play out the game (regular season only).
Forfeit:
A game shall be declared a forfeit if a team fails to field the required number of players prior to the start of the game. In the event of a forfeit, the score will be 7-0 for the team not at fault.
Home Run Rule:
A limit of over the fence home runs will be in effect. Seven (7) home runs per game for each team will be allowed. All home runs must be circled on the official game sheet. When the limit of 7 home runs is reached it must be announced to the umpire. Each home run after 7 will be called an out if there is a baserunner on the base ahead of the batter. If first base is open, the batter will take 1st base. The team responsible for the home run must attempt to retrieve the ball immediately after the home run is hit.
Note: After a HR is hit, the batter may go straight back to the dugout (speed up game times).
Pitching:
Every at-bat will begin with a 1 ball – 1 strike count. Foul balls will be counted as a strike.
Before each pitch, the pitcher must stand with one foot (pivot) in contact with the pitcher’s mound (rubber), while facing the batter with the ball held in one hand. The pitcher must also be positioned behind the protective cage. This position must be maintained for 1-5 seconds.
Once the ball is released, the pitched ball must go directly over the pitching cage and not exceed the maximum height of 12 ft. If a pitched ball touches the protective cage or is over the 12 ft height limit, the umpire will call an illegal pitch and the pitch will be ruled a ball.
Walks:
When a male batter who is followed by a female receives ANY walk, he is awarded second base, and the female must take her turn at bat.
When a male batter who is followed by a male receives ANY walk, he is awarded first base only.
Baserunning:
After the batter hits a pitched ball, the runner must run to first base and run and touch with orange safety base. If a runner touches the white part of the double safety base, the runner will be called out. If the first baseman catches a ball and touches the orange part of the double safety base, the runner will be called safe.
After a runner reaches first base (run past and touched the orange safety base), they must turn right. If a runner turns left, the umpire will assume the runner is attempting to make a play for second base (2nd) and the play will not be called dead.
The runner may not break the baseline by more than 1 meter to avoid a tag.
The runner is called out if he/she overtakes a preceding runner.
There is no sliding allowed at first base and home plate.
Batting Order:
6M/4F: The batting order consists of a minimum of 10 players (minimum 4 males and 4 females). Any 10 (maximum of 6 males and minimum of 4 females) may play defense. The batting order must alternate genders with the exception that no more than 2 males may ever bat back-to-back. This will happen twice in the order.
5M/5F: The batting order will alternate genders.
4M/6F: The batting order consists of a minimum of 10 players (minimum 4 males and 4 females). Any 10 (maximum of 4 males and minimum of 6 females) may play defense. The batting order must alternate genders with the exception that no more than 2 females may ever bat back-to-back. This will happen twice in the order.
If shorthanded, 6M/3F or 6F/3M: The batting order will alternate genders.
Extra Players: Additional players, up to the maximum allowable players on the team’s legal roster (max 20), may be used. They must be added in pairs (6/4, 7/5, 8/6. etc.).