Article 3 - Game Procedures
3.1 The Game
a) Home Team
In the Qualifying Round, home team will be determined by a coin toss at the Coaches/Managers meeting prior to the start of the championship or one hour prior to the start of each game. In the Championship Round, home team will be determined by the round robin standing, the higher placing team will have a choice of inning. If two divisions, the highest placed team from either division will have choice of inning. If teams are ranked equal, a coin toss will determine the higher placing team.
EXCEPTION: In the Championship Game, the undefeated team in the Championship Round will have choice of inning (i.e., home or away). If there is an “if” game, home team will be determined by a coin toss.
b) Game Length
In all Canadian Championship games, 7 innings will constitute a legal game, except if tied after 7 innings, it must be continued until a winner is declared.
EXCEPTION: Softball Canada Canadian Championship Supervisors can shorten games in the qualifying and championship round to 5 innings where weather threatens the completion of the Championship. The Championship game will be 7 innings except in the case where Playing Rule 5 sec. 3 d. applies.
c) Game Interruptions If for any reason a Canadian Championship game is interrupted prior to the completion of an official game, the game shall resume at the exact point in which it left off. (Includes number of outs, count on batter, etc.)
d) Run Ahead Rule
i) In all categories, games will end after 2½ innings of play if the home team is winning by 25 or more runs or 3 complete innings of play if the visiting team is winning by 25 or more runs.
ii) In all categories, games will end after 3½ innings of play if the home team is winning by 20 or more runs or 4 complete innings of play if the visiting team is winning by 20 or more runs.
iii) In all categories, games will end after 4½ innings of play if the home team is winning by 15 or more runs or 5 complete innings of play if the visiting team is winning by 15 or more runs.
e) Tie Breaking
i) The tie breaking procedure used in extra inning games will be applied in all Canadian Championship games except the final championship game(s) (i.e., Games 10 and 11). See Slo-Pitch Rule 5, Section 7 of the Softball Canada Official Rule Book.
ii) The procedure will come into effect after 7 innings have been played.
f) Walk-off Home Run – Men only.
On any fair-batted ball hit over the fence (touched or untouched) for a home run, the batter and all runners are credited with a score. The batter and any runners do not run the bases but go directly to their team area.
g) Men Only – The batter begins his at bat with a count of 1 ball, 1 strike.
h) Any legal pitch not swung at and lands on the strike mat (2 feet (0.61 m) x 3 feet (0.91 m)) shall be a strike. The strike mat shall be a 2’(0.61m) x 3’(0.91m) rubber mat with a”v” shaped cutout 17” across the top and 12” on the other two sides centered 3½” from the edges of the mat. This mat shall be placed behind the plate so the “v” cutout fits around the back point of the plate.
3.2 Home Run Rule Limit
A limitation shall be applied to the number of over the fence home runs that may be credited to each team in a game. The rule shall be applied as follows:
a) A batter hitting an over the fence home run in excess of the limit shall be ruled out. The ball is dead, no runs will be scored and all runners must return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.
b) If an over the fence home run is hit but the batter-runner misses a base or fails to score, the home run will be counted in the team total.
c) Any ball that goes over the fence in fair territory after being touched by a defensive player shall be a four base award and not considered a home run.
d) The per team per game home run limit shall be:
i) Men and Master Men — 7
ii) Women and Co-Ed — 5
3.3 Protests
a) The Protest Committee for all Canadian Championships shall consist of three (3) people selected by the Softball Canada Supervisor as outlined below:
i) the Softball Canada Supervisor or Assistant Supervisor
ii) the Umpire-In-Chief or Deputy Umpire-In-Chief
iii) an individual appointed by the Softball Canada Supervisor
b) All game play protests must be made at the time of the play in question (i.e., before the next pitch). The home plate umpire must announce the outcome of the protest.
c) There shall be no protests on:
i) the rescheduling of games
ii) the contents of a line–up card
d) Upon arrival of the Protest Committee, the protesting team will supply the committee with the protest fee of $250.00 (cash or certified cheque). Failure to do this will nullify the protest and the game shall continue immediately. If the protest is upheld, the fee will be returned after the game.
3.4 Smoking and/or Liquor Prohibitions
a) No smoking and/or liquor shall be allowed on the benches, in the dugouts or playing field area.
b) The offending person(s) will be given one warning and the team manager shall be advised that the warning has been given. A second incident will lead to the ejection from the game.
