Mercy Rule & regulation game

Question
This question is about Co-Ed Slo-Pitch, but a Fastpitch Softball expert may still have the answer.

I have read Slo-Pitch National's (http://www.slo-pitch.com/PPP/card6/c620.aspx?r=2) Rule 4, Sec 4 E and am trying to interpret it in relation to a "regulation game".

It says that "the mercy rule applies after 4-1/2, 5, 5-1/2, 6, etc.  The home team must have as many opportunities to bat (to tie or win the game) as the visiting team.?br>
How does that work in conjunction with a 5-run limit?

The score after 4 complete innings was 15-0 in favour of the visitors.  So there is still opportunity for the home team to save this game from mercy if they hold the visitors to 2 or less runs, and if they themselves got 5 in.  The visitors bat in the top half of the 5th and get 4 runs in.  Now the score is 19-0 heading into the bottom of 5.  With a 5-run limit in effect, it is now impossible for the home team to tie or win the game in the bottom of the 5th.

It seems to me that the addition of the phrase 搕o tie or win the game?in Rule 4 Sec 4 E is the crux, or it wouldn抰 have been added.  If the game were meant to be played out regardless, why wouldn抰 the rule simply say 揟he home team must have as many opportunities to bat as the visiting team?? Since the line DOES have the addition of (to tie or win the game), wouldn抰 that mean that the home team must have that opportunity ONLY if they have a possibility to tie or win the game?

This question was asked of the umpire and the answer was given that a COMPLETE game of 5 full innings must be played to make it a game.  Yet the rule says it can apply after 4-1/2 or 5 etc.  But I am having trouble interpreting if that means ONLY if the HOME team has scored the 12 runs for the mercy.....  Or are the sentences in the rule meant to be interpreted separately?

I was thinking that perhaps the home team takes their last bats to allow them an opportunity to collect 5 more runs to their for/against run total despite the game being a lost cause, but the ump said it was because "IT'S THE RULE" - nothing to do with runs for & against.


Answer
Hello Shana

I抦 assuming you are playing in Canada because the rule book you linked to is a softball slow pitch rule book for SPN which is based in Canada. This rulebook makes no mention of a 5 run per inning limit so I抦 assuming this is a local league rule and this is why there is a conflict with the SPN rulebook. Without a run limit per inning the rules in the book make sense.    

First check your league rules. An official game is 7 innings however many league will play their games by time limit or a certain number of full innings (i.e. 50 minutes or 5 innings which ever comes first). If the league has a 5 runs limit per inning they probably removed the mercy rule or they should because having it with a run limited game needlessly complicates the game.   

Here is another problem with having a 5 run limit per inning. Let抯 say a game is a time limited and time has expired at 4 & ?innings, if the home team is ahead 1 -0 the game is over. However in this case let抯 say the visitors are ahead 6 ?0 so in reality this game is over also because the home team cannot score more than five runs.

In my mind the game is over once the game is out of reach for either team due to either the mercy rule or run limit rule the league has in place.