Year End Playoff Rules

August 10 - 11, 2024

1. Home Team: Higher seeded team from the regular season standings will have choice of home or away.
2. Mercy Rule: A Mercy rule (12 runs) is in effect after five or more complete innings (or four and a half innings, if the home team has scored the 12 runs to mercy). The home team must have as many opportunities to bat (to tie or win the game) as the visiting team.
3. Time Limit: Games are scheduled for 1 hour and 30 minutes. (Hustle on and off the field);
   1. Non elimination games: no new innings to start after 1 hour 15 minutes.
   2. Elimination games: there will be no time limit.
4. Grace Period: 10 minute grace period from scheduled game time, unless otherwise stated by Nisku Ball Federation executive committee.
5. Homerun Rule: Homeruns are unlimited. NOTE: If a fair ball hits the netting above the chain-link fence, it is considered a homerun.
6. Tie Games: Decided by using the SPN tiebreaker rule.
7. 6 & 4 Format: (6 guys maximum are allowed to field) - 3 options;
   1. With 4 girls and 6 guys you are allowed to have an 11th batter (Extra Hitter.)
   2. With 4 girls and 5 guys the 6th guy will be an automatic out and EH is not allowed.
   3. With 3 girls the 4th girl will be an automatic out and EH is not allowed.
8. Extra Hitter: 2 options;
   1. Allowed one extra hitter who can be a guy or girl.
   2. Allowed two extra hitters but one must be a girl.
   3. Lineups beyond 12 must have an equal number of guys and girls added in alternating format.
9. Batting: All batters will begin their turn at bat with a 0 — 0 count.
10. Four Ball Rule: Four balls in a row to a male batter with no strikes in the count, the male batter will advance to 2nd base when followed by a female batter. The female batter must then take her turn at bat.
11. Ball Size: Men will hit the 12" ball; ladies will have the option to hit either the 12" or the 11" ball.
12. Maximum Runs Per Inning: Seven runs maximum allowed in any one inning except the 7th inning, which will be unlimited.
13. Anticipation Rule: There is no anticipation on the swing. Leading off is not allowed and the runner will be called out.
14. Courtesy Runners: A maximum of 3 courtesy runners per game may be used however, the same baserunner can be used more than once. A batter must make the initial run to base(s) upon hitting completing the play before being replaced.
15. Score Sheet: The winning team is responsible for handing in the score sheet.
16. Player Eligibility: Players must play a minimum of 8 regular season games with that team in order to be eligible for the playoffs.
17. Bat Rule: All legal bats used must have the USSSA compliance thumbprint (image below) located on the bat. If a player uses a bat deemed illegal by SPN, the batter is out and play goes back to where it was before the player batted.

18. All other rules as per the 2024 SPN rule book.
19. Nisku Ball Federation executive committee has the right to make changes as they see fit for the league year end playoffs.

Have fun and good luck to all the teams!!!