2025 WETASKIWIN MIXED SLO-PITCH LEAGUE - SPRING

Wetaskiwin Slo-Pitch League

2025 Spring Season – Rules & Regulations

League Organizers

Your 2025 League Organizers are Courtney Aitchison and Tanya Vanderberg (Billingham).

For urgent matters, please contact Tanya Vanderberg at 778-835-3709 (call or text).
For general questions or non-urgent matters, email slopitchwetaskiwin@gmail.com.

Important Note

To avoid any confusion between teams, please take the time to thoroughly read these rules and go over them with your team before the season begins.

Wetaskiwin Slo-Pitch League – 2025 Rulebook

1. League Overview

1.1 The Wetaskiwin Slo-Pitch League follows SPN Canada Slo-Pitch rules, with a few league-specific modifications. Where discrepancies exist, the league rules outlined here take precedence.

1.2 The team registration fee is $750, covering:

Diamond rentals
SPN insurance
One box of balls
One scorebook

1.3 The regular season runs from the first week of May for 8–10 weeks.

1.4 A year-end tournament may be offered at an additional cost due to SPN umpire and prize expenses.

2. Rosters & Player Eligibility

2.1 All players must complete the SPN online waiver by the designated deadline. 2025 your SPN waivers must be signed by May 31st, 2025.

2.2 Team rosters must be submitted on the SPN website by May 26, 2025 and sent to league organizers using the Google Form: https://forms.gle/TbYcDtSCC9ApzRBs6

2.3 Teams may roster up to 20 players, including regular subs.

2.4 Roster changes are not allowed after May 26, 2025, except for approved one-game emergency subs.

2.5 Emergency subs (One Game Only) may only be used:

If a team is short due to unexpected absence or injury
With league organizer approval
Once per player

2.6 All players must be covered under SPN insurance.

2.7 Use of ineligible players results in game forfeiture.

2.8 ALL ROSTERED PLAYERS, INCLUDING SUBS, MUST PLAY A MINIMUM OF 8 GAMES (DOUBLE HEADERS COUNT AS 2 GAMES) THROUGH THE REGULAR SEASON TO QUALIFY TO PLAY IN PLAYOFFS.

3. Game Times, Defaults & Forfeits

3.1 Games start at 6:30 PM sharp.

3.2 Late Penalties:

Between 5 to 10 minutes late = 5 runs and 1 inning forfeited + loss of Home Team
Between 10 to 15 minutes late = 10 runs and 2 inning forfeited + loss of Home Team
Between 15 to 20 minutes late = 15 runs and 3 inning forfeited + loss of Home Team
LASTLY
20 or more minutes late = forfeit (score recorded as 20–0)

3.3 If the late team arrives within 30 minutes, the second game may still be played. After 30 minutes the team that is waiting is free to leave the field.

3.4 Teams that forfeit both games in one night without valid reason:

Fined $50
Must pay diamond rental fee
Unpaid fines = forfeited games

3.5 Any team forfeiting on three separate nights will be removed from the league.

3.6 Teams must notify opponents and league organizers at least 72 hours in advance if they cannot attend a scheduled game.

4. Game Setup & Equipment

4.1 Each doubleheader consists of two games.

4.2 In MAY for the second game ONLY, batters start with a 1 ball, 1 strike count.

4.3 Home/Visitor Roles:

Game 1: first team listed is home
Game 2: visiting team becomes home

4.4 Bases, Home Plate and a Hammer will be on-site before games:

Game 1 home team sets up
Game 2 home team packs up
Equipment must be returned to storage boxes

4.5 The league provides home plate boards:

will be plywood
22” wide x 40” long x ½” thick
Must completely cover the home plate if using your own

4.6 Each home team provides new game balls:

Game 1 home team for Game 1
Game 2 home team for Game 2

** If you hit a home run or a foul ball please have someone from your team go collect it!

5. Scorekeeping & Reporting

5.1 Teams umpire their own batting half and are responsible for scorekeeping.

5.2 Teams should confirm scores with the other team during the game.

5.3 Score Submission Deadline: by Saturday of the playing week.

5.4 Submit scores in a TWO-STEP process:

Email photos of the scorebooks rosters for both teams for both games to: slopitchwetaskiwin@gmail.com
Enter the final scores on to the TeamLinkt app
You can also Text: 778-835-3709 with both team names and the final scores and the league organizers will update them for you.

5.5 Score sheets must:

Clearly list player names
Circle the final score
Label as Game 1 or Game 2

5.7 Failure to submit scores:

1st offense: Warning - EMail Warning was sent out May 129th, 2025
2nd offense: $50 fine (must be paid before next game)
Unpaid fines = forfeited games

6. Rainouts & Rescheduling

6.1 The City of Wetaskiwin will notify the league by 4:00 PM if fields are unplayable. League organizers have until 4:30pm to communicate with the teams playing during the affected days.

6.2 If games are cancelled and can not be rescheduled due to diamond unavailability or not enough time left in the season, any games after June 29th, 2025, the following format will be applied:

Game 1 = 7–0 Team 1
Game 2 = 0–7 Team 2

6.3 Both teams are responsible for communicating available time for rescheduling based on the diamond times provided by league organizers.

6.4 Scores affect playoff standings, therefore rescheduling is strongly encouraged.

6.5 If either team refuses to reschedule or isn’t communicating, please contact league organizers.

7. Team Format & Gameplay

7.1 Standard on-field format: 7 males + 3 females.

7.2 Minimum to play: 9 players, with at least 3 females.

7.3 If only 9 players, the 10th batter is an automatic out.

7.4 No more than 3 males may bat in a row in the order.

8. Substitutions, Injuries & Extra Hitters

8.1 Injured players may be replaced with a same-gender substitute, or their next at-bat is scored as an out.

8.2 Teams may use up to 2 Extra Hitters (EH):

The 1st one must be female
EHs may bat in any position

8.3 If EH is subbed in due to injury, they are no longer considered an EH.

8.4 If a female EH is subbed in, the male EH must also be removed.

** EH being substituted in for an injured player does NOT affect any runs brought in during the previous innings!

9. Pitching & Batting Rules

9.1 Pitching plate is 50 ft from home.

9.2 Pitchers may stand 5 ft in front or behind the plate.

9.3 A legal pitch must have a 6’ to 12’ arc.

9.4 Pitches outside the arc that are not swung at = ball.

9.5 If a male is walked on 4 straight balls:

Advances to 2nd base
If followed by a female, she may choose to hit or take 1st base

10. Base Running & Scoring

10.1 Commitment line (20 ft from home) is in effect:

Once crossed, runners may not return to 3rd
There is no tagging base runner out between the commitment line and the scoring line.
Catchers can have a foot anywhere on board for force out.

10.2 Scoring line must be used to score, running behind the home plate; touching the any where on the board = out

10.3 At first base, runners must use the orange safety bag:

White portion is for fielders
1 team warning; further infractions = automatic out

11. Game Scoring Limits

11.1 Teams may hit a maximum of 5 home runs per game.

11.2 Additional home runs = automatic outs.

11.3 7-run limit per inning, except for the 7th inning, which is open.

11.4 Tied games at end of 7 innings remain a tie.

11.5 No extra innings played.

11.6 Mercy Rule:

20-run lead after 4 innings
15-run lead halfway through 5th or at any point in 6th

12. Additional Gameplay Rules

12.1 Infield Fly Rule applies with runners on 1st & 2nd or bases loaded, and there are less than 2 outs and an infielder can easily catch the fly ball. In those cases the batter is automatically out, even if the ump does not declare it an infield fly before being caught or not.

12.2 Players may enter the game anytime; just let the opposing team and umpire know. There is no limit to the number of substitutions a team can make as long as they are registered with SPN for insurance purposes and listed on the team's roster.

12.3 No bunting or chopping allowed.

12.4 No leading off or stealing:

1 step allowed after a swing attempt
Violators = out

12.5 Pinch runners:

May start from home if injured or pre-existing condition
Pitchers may use runners after reaching any base
Unlimited same-gender pinch runners allowed

13. Alcohol, Conduct & League Discipline

Alcohol Policy

13.1 Alcohol is prohibited during games and at diamonds.

13.2 City fines for alcohol violations will be passed to the responsible team.

13.3 Teams must pay fines in full to resume league play.

Conduct Policy

13.4 The league promotes safety, inclusivity, and respect.

13.5 Aggressive, disrespectful, or hateful behavior will result in:

Immediate suspension or removal from the league
No refunds provided

To Be Clear

All players and teams are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that promotes the respect of others, fair play and sportsmanship. Abuse of verbal, physical or otherwise to Wetaskiwin Mixed Slo-Pitch players, officials, or league organizers will not be tolerated.

The following disciplinary actions for persons or teams found in violation of this mandate can include: