Handbook Rules

Maximum roster size - Minimum number for SEASAC Participation Points is 11.

13 players and 2 coaches.

All scheduled games in a SEASAC tournament must be played to conclusion, weather permitting. Requests for forfeits may not be entertained. 

There will be a timed 5-minute warm up for each team before the start of each game. The time should be shown on the scoreboard.

Preliminary round-robin games will be 7 innings or 75 minutes (whichever is shorter). No new inning will start with less than 10 minutes remaining on the game clock. The starting time and start of the last inning should be either visibly written or told to each team prior to the start of the game.

In the event of a tie game in a pool play or a playoff game, additional inning/s will be played. The last batter out of the previous inning will start on second base and the next batter in the order that would be up normally after the last out of the previous inning would be the first batter.

Tie-break. In the case of a tie at the end of the round-robin section of the tournament the following criteria will be used to break the tie:

a. Head to head result: In the case of a draw or multi-way tie, the following shall be applied to break the tie.

b. Defensive average of runs allowed against tied teams.

c. Defensive average of runs allowed against all teams.

d. Offensive average of runs scored against tied teams.

e. Offensive average of runs scored against all teams.

Once the first tie-break in a multi-way tie has been resolved, additional ties will be resolved in the same format using the same sequence of procedures beginning with head to head result.

i. Home & Away team rules:

ii. Pool matches - first named team home.

iii. Semi finals - higher ranked team in pool play home.

vi. Finals - toss of coin to decide the home team.

Appeal Play ( refer to a Appeal Play rules 1.2.6)

Protest (Refer to 1.2.8, 1.2.9)

Protest will be made to the umpire and the gametime will stop.

UIC (Umpire in chief), TD (Tournament director) and CS (Chief scorer) will be called in to look into the protest. Once a decision is made it will be final and the game will resume.

During the group stages, a win will count as 3 points and a loss will count as 1 point. There will be no draws (see point 6 above). 

In the event of adverse weather conditions the tournament director reserves the right to make appropriate decisions and changes.

Each team must have a minimum of ten (10) players in the line-up at all times. Using the EP, a team must have Eleven (11) players listed in the line-up.
i) Ten Players: pitcher (F1), catcher (F2), first baseman (F3), second baseman (F4), third baseman, (F5), short stop (F6), left fielder (F7), left centre fielder (F8), right fielder (F9) and right centre fielder (F10).
ii) With an Extra Player (EP). 11 or 12 Players: same as slow pitch plus one or two EP’s who bats in the line-up. 

This needs to be informed to the scorer and umpire at the beginning of the game before the game starts.

If the EP is used, they must be used for the entire game. 

If an EP is used, all eleven or twelve must bat and any ten can play defence. Defensive positions can be changed but the batting order must remain the same. 

The starting EP may re-enter the game one time after being substituted, as long as they return to the position in the batting order that they occupied when they left the game, other than as a Replacement Player. 

*Failure to complete the game with a EP - The game shall be forfeited to the non-offending team.

*If a team violated any provisions or uses an Illegal EP, the player in violation shall be ejected. 

A replacement runner is only allowed if the injured player gets injured at the tournament. Injured players should not travel and then expect to be allowed a courtesy runner.

Re-entry is allowed (a starting player can return to the game after being substituted).

The run ahead rule/mercy rule will continue to be used in the interest of good sportsmanship and applies to any game at all Tournaments and Championships when one team leads another by: twenty 20 runs after four (4) innings; or fifteen runs after five (5) innings. 

a. at the end of 4 innings, a team is winning by 20 runs

b. at the end of 5 innings, a team is winning by 15 runs

In the event of a tie game in a pool play or a playoff game, additional inning/s will be played. The last batter out of the previous inning will start on second base and the next batter in the order that would be up normally after the last out of the previous inning would be the first batter.

Starting with the top of the eighth inning and for each half-inning thereafter until the game ends, the offensive team starts its turn at bat with the player scheduled to bat tenth or eleventh with an EP or 12 in Co-ed with EP’s in that respective half inning is placed on second base as a runner.

Recommended field dimensions are as follows:

DI & DII  Boys 

Minimum (65 metres)

Maximum (75 metres) 

DI & DII Girls

Minimum (55 metres)

Maximum (65 metres)

Base distances will be 65 feet. (Please refer here Appendix 1, Section B).

The use of a double base (Safety Base) at first is required.

No sliding at first base unless returning to first base after rounding towards second, and the ball is still in play.

A safety home plate will be used for all runners touching home plate. The safety home plate will be placed approximately 8 feet from the strike mat. (See diagram)

A 15-foot commitment line from home plate will be used. Commitment line should be extended to an area longer than that of the baseline. This is to allow base runners running to the backstop to see this line. (See diagram). Once a player crosses the commitment line they will not be able to turn back to 3rd base. 

A defensive player can touch any part of the mat with the ball in their possession to create a force out.

No tag at home after the runner crosses the commitment line, force play only. This includes when the ball hits the back stop. Umpires discretion will determine play outcome.

Pitchers are allowed 5 warm-up pitches between innings.

Pitching distances, measured from the front edge of home plate to the front edge of the pitching rubber, are as follows: 

In the girls competition, pitchers will have the choice of pitching from either 46 or 50 feet. 

In the boys competition, the pitching rubber must be 50 feet from home plate.

The pitcher must have their foot grounded on the pitching rubber when they release the pitch.

A strike mat will be used for determining strikes and balls, as well as plays at home plate. The strike mat should be black and made of a durable material (e.g. rubber). The strike mat measurements are as follows:

DI Boys & Girls 20 inches wide x 32 inches long.

DII Boys 20 inches wide x 32 inches long.

The strike mat will be flush with the front of home plate, and overlap the plate evenly on both sides.

Pitching - Legal Delivery 

a. The pitcher must not make any motion to pitch without immediately delivering the ball to the batter. 

b. The windup must be a continuous motion. 

c. The pitcher must not use a wind up in which there is a stop or reversal of the forward motion. 

d. The pitcher must deliver the ball toward home plate on the first forward swing of the pitching arm past the hip with an underhanded motion.

e. The pitcher shall not pitch the ball 1. Behind the back, or 2. Through the legs, or 3. From the glove. 

f. The pivot foot must remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate until the pitched ball leaves the hand. If a step is taken, it can be forward, backward, or to the side, provided the step is simultaneous with the release of the ball and the pivot foot is still in contact with the pitcher’s plate. 

g. The pitch shall be released at a moderate speed. The speed is left entirely up to the judgement of the umpire. 

h. The pitcher must not continue to wind up after the ball is released.

i. The ball must be delivered with a perceptible arc of at least 1.83m (6 ft.) and not more than 3.65m (12 ft.) from the ground. Any legally pitched ball (6 foot to 12 foot arc) that comes in contact with any part of the mat is a strike. Please Note: WBSC uses a strike zone, SEASAC will continue to use a strike mat. 

j. The pitcher has 10 seconds to release the next pitch after receiving the ball, or after the umpire indicates “play ball”.

Charge Defensive Conference

• A defensive team has only three (3) charged defensive conferences in a seven inning game. 

Charge Offensive Conference

• Only one charged conference per inning is permitted. This includes batter, runner, on-deck batter and the coaches amongst themselves.

1. Bats

Only WBSC, ISF, NSA, ASA, ISA and USSSA bats with accreditation logos can be used at SEASAC tournaments.

2. Balls

The official SEASAC softballs are as follows: 

DI & DII Boys 12” with a maximum 0.47 COR/max 375 lbs compression

DI & DII Girls 11” with a maximum 0.47 COR/max 375 lbs compression

Any player may wear a glove, but only the catcher and first baseman may use mitts. 

All players must wear helmets when batting, running the bases and base coaching. 

All catchers must wear a helmet and mask. Catchers (or other youth members of the defensive team) must wear a mask with helmet while receiving warm-up pitches from the pitching plate, or in the warm-up area. If the youth person catching the pitch will not wear the mask, they must be replaced by a person who will do so. The ice hockey goalie style facemask is approved for use by catchers. 

FACE MASKS. Any defensive or offensive player may wear an approved plastic face mask/guard. Face masks/guards that are cracked or deformed, or if padding has deteriorated or is missing, are prohibited from use and must be removed from the game

Batters will enter the batter’s box with a 1:1 count.

No bunting allowed.

Any batter in the batting order will be allowed to be ‘intentionally walked’ (no strikes thrown) only once per game. Each time thereafter when the same batter is ‘intentionally walked’ (no strikes thrown) the batter will be awarded a double.

Players are not allowed to step on the strike mat.

After the batter first enters the batter’s box they must remain in the batter’s box between pitches by keeping at least 1 foot in the box including while taking signals and practice swings. 

If the batter leaves the batter’s box with both feet. 

i. 1st offence will be a verbal warning 

ii. 2nd offence will result in a called strike by the home plate umpire
Exceptions:

i. If the ball is hit foul or fair

ii. On a swing, or an attempted swing, provided the momentum of the attempted swing carries the batter out of the batter’s box

iii. If force out by the pitch

iv. If the pitcher leaves the pitching rubber

v. On a three ball pitch that is a strike that the batter thinks is a ball

A foul ball with two strikes is not an out. A second foul ball hit with two strikes is an out. (One courtesy foul will be given).

A foul tip is a batted ball which 

a. Goes directly from the bat to the catcher's hands. 

b. Goes not higher than the batter's head, and is legally caught by the catcher. 

c. NOTE: It is not a foul tip unless caught; and any foul tip that is caught is a strike. 

d. In Slow Pitch the ball is dead. It is not a catch if it is a rebound, unless the ball first touched the catcher's hand(s) or glove.