COED

COED Information

Coed Team Division Rules

COED RULES & NSA EXCEPTIONS

Game times are 7.00 until August (determined by division teams)

Game nights are Tuesday and Thursday, on Diamonds #1 and #2

Rain out can be played Wednesdays on Diamond#2 and must be agreed to by both teams.

PARTICIPATION

The Coed Division is a 7 and 3 format with ladies being 40+ and men being 50+ unless previously grandfathered to the league.

Men’s division players from 2023 who are 45+ (born 1979) and are in good standing with the league will be grandfathered and allowed to play in the Coed Teams Division, to a maximum of 2 players per team.

Team Jerseys are recommended.

SPARE/ SUBSTITUTE PLAYERS

Any player that was registered with ESSPA in the Men’s 2023 Division that is aged 45 or over can be used as a spare for league play. They must be registered as a spare with waver signed and only 2 players per team including those grandfathered. They can replace the missing player’s position or catch but must bat at the bottom of the order.

Any Division 1 player can substitute. They can replace the missing player’s position or catch but must bat at the bottom of the order.

Any Women’s player can substitute.  They can replace the missing player’s position or catch but must bat at the bottom of the order.

Division Spares: You can have unlimited number of women in play but can’t exceed 7 men on the field at any time. The intent is to have 3 women on the field at all times, if you are short, the position must be left empty, unless the opposing team is willing to provide a female player.  If the position is left empty it is an automatic out.

Spares are allowed in Playoffs if they are registered with ESSPA and have paid the spare fee and signed the waiver.  Eligible Playoff Spares can play any position but must bat at the bottom of the order.

Registered spares or division spares can only play for one team 3 times throughout the year including playoffs.

GUEST PLAYERS.

This year there is no fee for a Guest Player to play a maximum of 2 games per team during the season. However, the player registration form must be completed, waiver signed and accepted by a Board Member well in advance of the game being played. They are not allowed in playoff games.

BASERUNNING

There shall not be any sliding at 1st Base. There is a safe base for the batter to step on, therefore, no sliding or contact with the first baseman is permitted.

Players are reminded to incorporate safety considerations when base running. In double play situations it is the lead runner's responsibility to not interfere with the most likely line of path of the ensuing throw. You should be sliding / diving, it is your responsibility to veer out of the way asap. (this is senior play, nobody needs injuries)

If any interference is an attempt to prevent a double play, the base runner closest to home plate shall also be called out.

 There is no anticipation, contact must be made with the pitched ball prior to leaving a base. If a runner leaves his base during a pitch and the batter does not make contact with the ball, the runner is out.

 In co-ed if a male batter is walked with a female batter is on deck then the male gets a double any type of walk; no exceptions. The female has a choice to bat or take first base.

NO TAGGING BETWEEN THE SAFE LINE AND HOME PLATE

A run is scored at home by crossing a line that will be drawn at the bottom of the plate in alignment to first base line to the first base line from home plate to the fence. (Some diamonds have an additional base near home plate it will not be used.)

Official Game: 

In order for a game to be official, a team can start and/or complete a game with a minimum of 8 roster players and 9 players in total. Otherwise, the game is a forfeit, and the score is to be recorded as 7-0.   If you are short a woman that position is an auto out.

Batting Line Up 

Although potential spares and substitutes would normally be included on the lineup card and score sheet, a spare's name can be added to the lineup card at any time.

Every player bats.  No more than 4 consecutive male batters are allowed in the lineup. Which means your maximum batting roster is 15 players. (any additional players would have to be substituted)

Team rosters with full names must be on the lineup and shared with the opposing team prior to the game start but additional players can be added at any time during the game to the bottom of the batting lineup. When adding registered team players to the bottom of the Batting Lineup they should be declared asap after a player arrives. If spare players start the game, they can retain their spot in the batting lineup or be substituted out when a late player is added to the bottom of the batting lineup. Alternatively, a registered play can also be substituted out to maintain the 10-person rooster. Spare players are not to be used to exceed a registered team 10-person rooster. Roosters/Line ups can only exceed 10 players if they are registered players for that team and all must bat in that game.

Teams are required to submit rosters to the coordinator within two weeks of league play, these will be the only players allowed in playoffs, unless approved by coordinator prior due to injuries only.

GAME START  

The start of the game is the point in time when the teams have exchanged lineups. The home team is pre-determined as per schedule. If 2 games are scheduled on a single diamond, no new innings are to start after 7:35.

PITCHING

All pitches are from the pitching rubber or from behind it. The pitches shall constitute a 6-to-12-foot arc. (which typically requires the pitch to be delivered by the pitcher with the release at cap height to get a 6-foot arc and not to exceed 12 feet, which is the height of the 2- 6-foot vertical sections in the back stop)

Ladies have a choice to hit either ball (big ball, little ball rule)

HOME RUN LIMIT 

As per accepted Senior Play, the limit for home runs for Coed shall be 2 plus one. In other words, once both teams have 2 home runs, either team can hit another, back and forth. Any home run hit after the limit is an auto out.

Over-the-fence home runs are walk offs.  The batter and any baserunners do not have to proceed to the next base. 

COURTESY RUNNERS

A courtesy runner must be the last out or last available player in the lineup and must be same sex. Or in other words the courtesy runner must be the player furthest away from the batter in the lineup that is not on base. A courtesy runner cannot go past first base unless a home run is hit by the injured player or there is an overthrow to extend play.

If you are using a courtesy runner throughout the game, it is assumed that you will only pitch, play first base or catch for the remainder of the game or just bat.

If you are starting a game with an injury, it must be reported to the other Team Leader before the game and a courtesy runner must be used for the entire game from home plate. If you are injured during the game and require a courtesy runner, then you must have a courtesy runner from Home for the remainder of the game. In the case of a runner from home plate the umpire will make a starting line 2 meters behind the extension of the 3rd base foul line.

The injured player can take as many steps as required toward first base as long as there is no interference between runner and batter fielder. If interference takes place the batter is out.

It is understood that that the intent of the rule is to allow a healing player to keep playing and minimize the chance of aggravating an injury. 

Any player that has received a courtesy runner cannot run for any other player in the game.

BAT POLICY

Bats must have the USSSA Thumb Print 1.20 stamp or current NSA Approved stamping. Check with the Coed Coordinator if in doubt.

Use of illegal bat - During regular season play the player and coach will be removed from that game and those positions become auto outs as a result of the infraction. 

Use of altered/illegal bat - During Playoffs the player and the coach are suspended from the league for the remainder of the season.

MERCY RULE

There is no Mercy Rule in the Coed Division. 5 runs per inning with 7^th inning open or last inning in case of time restraints.

GRACE PERIOD 

A team will forfeit a game by a score of 7-0 if it cannot field a team within 10 minutes of the scheduled starting time.

SLOW GAME

No inning shall start within 10 minutes of the next scheduled game time. The use of the flip flop rule makes sense for all early games as it can save a lot of time. How this works is that anytime that the home team is down more than 7 runs in the last inning of play, they take their normal turn then they take another turn at bat in an attempt to tie or go ahead. If they happen to take the lead, then the visitors take their bat to complete the game. Whenever the home team is behind by more than seven runs. Teams should use this whenever a time restraint is a factor.

Umpires - We ump our own games and the thought is that each team provides a knowledgeable player to do the umping duties. If there is a dispute that can’t be settled or if there is abuse to to other players or teams it needs to be brought to the Division Coordinator who will take it up with the Greivence committee.

The 1st time a player is ejected it will be for the remainder of the game being played. The Division Coordinator must be notified immediately of the reason for removal. No additional discipline will be applied. 

The 2nd time a player is ejected from a game will be for the remainder of that game and an additional 3 league games. The player may appeal to the league committee (a team representative from each of the other teams. Minimum of 3 forms a quorum) only if the player's coach supports the player. The coach, the player and umpires(s) must submit a written statement to the Coed Teams Division Coordinator within 2 league playing days. The committee must make a decision within 2 league playing days after receiving the appeal. If the Division Coordinator’s team is directly involved in the appeal, they are omitted from the decision process. If the appeal is denied the 3-game suspension is upheld.  Any appeals or more serious breaches of the code of conduct will go to the discipline committee.  This committee is made up of all of the division coordinators.