General Rules for Mites (Grade 2-4)
Normal softball rules apply, with the exceptions described here.

• ​The home team takes the 3rd base side.
  ​The home team is responsible for providing a game ball. 
• Each team is responsible for keeping score and should verify the score with the umpire, and the opposing coach, several times during the game. Not keeping score presumes that you are acknowledging the opposing team’s score keeping as accurate.
  A coach or parent will act as catcher. Each team will be provided with a catcher’s mask. Wearing the catcher’s mask is recommended. The adult catcher can make the play at home, with BOTH feet on home plate, by receiving the ball from one of the players and ensuring that both feet are touching home plate (not tagging the player).  This is the only involvement the adult catcher can have with the game other than catching the ball.
• A minimum of 4 players per team is required for the duration of a game. No player will be eligible to play if a designated responsible adult is not present during the game. A forfeited game will result in a 7-0 decision. All players will play in the field each inning, with a maximum of 6 infielders (including the pitcher and rover). All other players will play positioned around the outfield each inning. There is no limit on how many outfielders are on the field. Outfielders should be watched and reminded not to encroach into the infield as the inning progresses. Players must be rotated between the infield and outfield during the game.
• A player may play consecutive innings in the infield or outfield, but coaches should try to allow each player equal time in the infield and outfield during the game.

Game Generalities (Continued)

• All players must wear a helmet while batting, running bases and while pitching. No baseball or soccer cleats, or jewelry, are permitted on the field. Mouthguards are recommended, but remain the responsibility of the parent. A minimum of 3 complete innings and a maximum of 7 complete innings must be played for a game to qualify as a complete game. (If home team is leading after top of 3rd is finished then the game is complete (due to rain) and final score will include top of 3rd inning runs)(if visiting team scored the max allowed runs and were still losing and game advanced to the bottom of the inning then the game would be called incomplete). No new inning will begin after 8:00 pm on weekdays and 12:00 pm on Saturday. If a game is required to be ended on account of the 8:00 pm or 12:00 pm deadline, rain, thunder or lightning, etc., the final score is that score recorded at the end of the previous full inning. Final decisions will be at the umpires discretion, PLEASE respect the decision. 
• The infield fly rule is not in effect. In the event of inclement weather, the team coach or assistant coach will advise by way of TeamSnap/email notification, and will make every effort to announce any cancellation at least 1½ hours before game time. 
• At the field, a game can be ended on agreement between the two opposing coaches, or one coach and the umpire, or the umpire alone. This includes not starting a game due to the onset of inclement weather.
• Thunder/Lightning Procedure: At the field, if any thunder is heard or lightning is visible, any practice or game MUST be delayed and all participants MUST move to a safe location for at least 30 minutes. Any subsequent audible thunder or visible lightning requires the 30 minute wait period to recommence. The game will NOT resume until 30 minutes has passed since the last audible thunder or visible lightning. This is the standard procedure for Little League baseball in North America, and we have adopted it. 
• Thunder only occurs as a result of lightning. So, if you heard thunder, there was lightning somewhere in the area. An approaching storm can cause a lightning strike outside of the range of audible thunder. It is best to err on the side of caution. Lightning can be lethal, and holding an aluminium bat in an open field is obviously not a good idea in its presence. While we all want our girls to have a fun time, and sometimes there are those children and adults who resist packing up and ending or rescheduling a game, no game is worth risking anybody’s life. The winning coach is responsible for emailing game results to brett@leasidecommunity.ca within 24 hours. Results not emailed within 5 days will be deemed a 1-1 tie. 
• The coaches are responsible for communicating any incomplete or cancelled games to the league by way of the senior designated coach for the division. Any incomplete or cancelled games will be rescheduled by the league Convenor, subject to field availability. Coaches of the teams concerned are encouraged to communicate with the Convenor on this matter. The Convenor’s decision is final. 
• The top 4 teams will participate in the playoffs. Regular season wins are worth 2 points and ties are worth one point. In the event of a tie between two teams in the standings at the end of the regular season, the tie will be broken in the following manner: 1st: Head to Head record, 2nd: Most regular season wins, 3rd: Most regular season points scored, 4th: Fewest regular season runs allowed, 5th: flip a coin.

Pitches

• All pitching is to be underhand. (No overhand, no windmill). 
• The pitching mark shall be established at a distance from home plate of approximately 7 or 8 adult paces, clearly marked, and agreed to by both coaches before the game commences. Both feet should start on the pitching mark and only one step forward should be taken before release of the ball. Many young players, trying pitching for the first time, will try to take two or more steps towards home plate before releasing the ball. Every effort should be taken to teach the pitcher to take only one step forward before releasing the ball. 
• Play stops when a fielded ball is in possession of the pitcher, within an approximate 12-foot radius of the pitching mark. A runner between bases may continue to the next base at risk of being tagged out. To avoid pitcher domination of a game, no player is to pitch more than 2 innings per game. No pitcher may pitch consecutive innings. Any appearance in an inning constitutes an inning pitched. Extra innings (playoffs only) are treated as a new ball game. If a team can not field enough pitchers to complete a game, consultation with the opposing coach should reasonably allow the game to proceed with pitchers pitching more than 2 innings during the game. Otherwise, the game ends when the pitching rotation is used up. Remember, the goal here is to gently push each girl to step up and make that first effort to pitch, when she is ready. Coaches should not be using the above rules to outfox their opponent by offering up only two strong pitchers and limiting the game to 4 innings. 

Batting (bunting not allowed)​

• All players bat in the order they are listed on the game line-up sheet for the entire game. A batter missing her at bat, or batting out of order, is out. Players who depart from the game are dropped from the batting line-up without penalty. 
• There are no free passes to first base. The only way to get to first base is by hitting the ball into fair territory. A batter hit by a pitch does not go to first base. The batter has a traditional at-bat except that, if walked (4 balls), the batter does not advance to first base. After 4 balls are called by the umpire, the batter’s coach, or other adult volunteer, moves to the pitcher’s mark to toss a maximum of 3 underhand pitches to the batter. If the batter does not hit a fair ball by the conclusion of the third pitch, she is considered a strike-out. A foul ball, bad pitch or anything other than a ball hit into fair territory will result in the batter being retired after the third pitch. 
• ​The strike zone is generally as wide as home plate and extends from the batter’s armpits to the top of her knees when standing in a normal batting stance.
• A batter must not throw the bat. A team is entitled to one warning per game. On subsequent offences, the play is called dead, the batter is out, and runners do not advance. 
• If a pinch runner is required, the previous batter out is designated. A team may not score more than 5 runs per inning. The 7th inning (or last inning called) has no limit on the number of runs scored. 

Base Running

• ​Play stops when a fielded ball is in possession of the pitcher, WHO IS IN THE INFIELD (BASELINES TO HOME PLATE) and calls "TIME". If a runner is more than halfway between bases (UMPIRES CALL ONLY), she may continue to the next base at risk of being tagged out. If she attempts to return to the base just passed, she remains at her peril while returning to that base. However, if the pitcher or fielder brings the ball back into play by throwing to another fielder, or starting a run-down, the base runner may attempt to advance. 
• Lead-offs and stolen bases are not permitted. Safety on the base paths is important. The runner is obliged to avoid unnecessary contact when approaching the base. Fielders not holding the ball must allow runners a clear path to their next base. Blocking a runner’s base path will result in the runner being called safe. Coaches, constantly reminding the outfielders not to creep into the infield as the inning progresses helps to keep the base paths clear. A ball thrown past a fielder, and which does not go out of bounds, remains in play. This includes overthrows which go into the outfield. Runners may advance until play is stopped. They may advance more than one base as long as the ball remains in play. 
• It is useful to teach fielders to promptly return the ball to within the 12-foot radius around the pitcher’s mark as a means to stop play, ESPECIALLY if they are unsure what to do with the ball. On all defensive throws that go outside of the 1st and 3rd baselines each runner shall get the base they were running to plus an extra base. No more. If a runner is standing on a base when the ball goes out of the baselines they will get an extra base. So play is dead and umpire will award the extra bases. If the ball is overthrown at 2nd base, the play is live, and continues until the ball returns to pitcher, or umpire deems time should be called.
• ALL BASE RUNNERS HIT BY A BATTED BALL (UNLESS ON A BASE) WILL BE CALLED OUT AND PLAY WILL BE CALLED DEAD, BATTER WILL GET FIRST BASE. UMPIRES CALL IS FINAL.MOST OF ALL, BE COURTEOUS AND HAVE FUN! IT IS ONLY A GAME.