Intramural Kickball Rules
LEAGUES
Open - any combination of males or females
FIELD
The Pitcher’s mound is approximately 30 feet from home plate.
If dirt is not present, the “outfield” starts roughly 10 feet past 1st, 2nd, & 3rd bases.
“Out of play” is behind the backstop or outside the backstop line or approximately 10 feet outside 1st & 3rd base line and home plate if no backstop is present.
PLAYERS
Any clothing, costume, and related accessories on a player when the ball is kicked will be counted as part of the player and eligible to be played for an “out” during the game. A player’s hair will be counted as part of the players head and follows all other rules of hitting in the head as described hereafter.
Each player is responsible for his/her own actions and may incur disciplinary actions as a result of unsportsmanlike conduct including but not limited to warnings, suspensions, or permanently expel players or entire teams from the league from repetitive complaints and/or degree of incident(s).
TEAMS REQUIREMENTS
- Teams have no maximum size, but a minimum of 8 players and a maximum of 10 players are required to begin and continue play.
- Each team must field a pitcher and catcher during game play.
- Any team having less than 8 players beyond 15 minutes of the start of the game as determined by the schedule will be asked to forfeit the game.
- The kicking order cannot be rearranged once the game has begun.
- Late arrivals will be placed at the bottom of the kicking order.
- Ghost runners are not allowed.
Base runner/Pinch Runner/Fielder substitutions are only allowed due to injury and must be of the same gender.
- The Pitcher must remain as the position of the Pitcher until a play has ended.
- Team captains are responsible for verifying the final score with the supervisor at the end of the game.
REGULATION GAMES
- Away team kicks first
- An inning consists of 3 outs for each kicking team.
- Games will last for 40 minutes, or 7 innings whichever comes first. If 7 full innings are not reached, a full inning must be completed in which the home team gets last kicks.
- An out is described as a total of 3 kicking strikes (Foul Balls included) vb, being struck with a ball in fair territory (without interference of a foreign object), being forced into a base that a fielding player maintains possession of, or the catching of a ball that has not touched either the original kicker or the ground first.
- There is a 10 run mercy rule enforced at the end of the 5th inning and any inning thereafter (or middle of the 5th if the home team leads.) When enforced, the game is automatically over and the team in the lead wins.
- Ties will stand except during playoff games.
PITCHING
- Pitching must be underhand only.
- Pitchers must pitch from the rubber. The heel of the pitchers back foot may not leave the pitcher’s mound.
- As a pitched ball crosses the plate, if the ball bounces more than 6 inches above home plate (as measured by the bottom of the ball) and/or does not pass over any part of the plate, it will be considered a ball, however the player may kick the ball and he/she accepts the outcome.
- If a pitch passes over any part of the plate and it is not too bouncy, it is a strike.
FIELDING
- Infielders are limited to 6 players (usually a pitcher, catcher, 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, and a shortstop).
- Outfielders are to remain outside the designated baselines (~70ft from Home) until the ball has been kicked.
- Infielders are not permitted to move past the pitchers mound until the ball has been kicked.
- Fielders must allow base runners to reach the base they are covering. Blocking the base from base runners is prohibited.
- There is NO infield fly rule. However, if the infielder dropped the ball intentionally, to secure additional outs, captain’s may agree upon calling just one out. The kicker will be the out player and all on- base runners must return to the original base.
KICKING
- The ball must travel at least halfway to either 1st or 3rd. Any ball falling short of this mark, as determined by the official, will be considered a strike, however if a fielder touches the ball prior to this mark, the ball is considered in play.
- Players on the field should plan to field any ball that is kicked. Likewise, the kicker should intend to run out any ball that they have made an attempt on. This includes borderline fair/foul balls.
- All kicks must be made by foot/shin (below the knee). A kick made by the knee or above will be a dead ball and count as a strike.
The heel of the kicker’s plant foot may not be in front of home plate when kicking. If they step in front of home plate the kick will be a dead ball and count as a strike.
- Kickers may not stop the ball with their foot and then kick it. If a ball is stopped by the kicker, it is a dead ball.
- A double kicked ball is described as a ball that touches a player twice before touching an opposing team member or any foreign object first. All double kicked balls are considered a dead ball and base runners cannot advance or tag up, all existing base runners are to return to the base in which they came.
- If the kicker double kicks in foul territory or touches the ball in foul territory when they are hit the 2nd time with the ball - it counts as a strike. If the kicker is in fair territory when they are hit the 2nd time with the ball - they are out.
- A foul ball counts as a strike whether it is the first strike or the third strike. Thus, a kicker will strike out with any combination of 3 strikes and/or foul balls.
RUNNING
- Runners must stay within base line.
- Running past another runner is not allowed. Any runner passed by another runner is out.
- Fielders must stay out of the base line unless attempting to tag runner or field a kickball.
- It is the responsibility of the runner to avoid a collision. Please save yourself and save your opponents from injury by paying attention.
- Ties go to the runner.
- Runners can run through first base free of being tagged out unless they make a turn towards second base.
- Any advancement towards 2nd base puts the player at mercy of being tagged for an out.
- Leading off base and base stealing is not allowed. Any player leading off before the ball is kicked will be called out.
- Runners may tag up once a fly ball is caught to advance to the next base. As a caught foul ball is considered an out and considered in play, runners may tag up on caught fly foul balls as well. As a dropped foul ball is considered dead, these cannot be tagged up on.
- Hitting a runner with the ball above the shoulder is not allowed. The runner will be safe AND advances 1 base except when the runner intentionally uses his/her head to block the ball, and or the runner is ducking, diving, or sliding (i.e. attempting to dodge the ball) and is hit in the head.
- When the runner is hit with the ball above the shoulder level, other runners are permitted to advance to the base to which they were running, but do not receive additional bases unless forced by the advancement of the runner hit with the ball.
- If multiple runners are on the same base at the same time, the fielder has the choice to tag either runner. The runner who is tagged is out, the other is safe.
- Runners advance one base if the ball travels out of play on an overthrow. Advancing one base is defined as the base they are running to. If they are on a base when the overthrow that travels out of play occurs, they may advance to the next base. If the overthrow is into the outfield and stays in play, the runners may keep running until play action has ended and or time has been called.
- If a ball in play touches a runner, they are out. This includes runners hit by balls kicked by their own team members.
FOULS
- Foul Balls are counted as strikes.
- A kicked ball that has stopped in foul territory before 1st or 3rd base will be FOUL.
- A kicked ball first hits the ground in foul territory past 1st or 3rd base will be FOUL.
- A moving kickball that is caught anywhere in foul territory, without interference from a foreign object will be an out.
- If a fielder is in foul territory and touches a kicked ball that is in foul territory will be FOUL unless caught for an out.
- A kicked ball that rolls past the outside of first or third base in foul territory and no part of the ball rolled over any part of the base will be FOUL.
- A moving kicked ball cannot be called until the ball has stopped, touched, or passes/touched 1st or 3rd base. It is in the players best interest to field every ball, as a foul ball can roll back into play before 1st or 3rd bases or if a fielder catches a ball anywhere in foul territory it will be considered an out.
- Any kicked ball that hits a foreign object in foul territory (i.e. tree, building, chair, table, other games or their players) will be considered FOUL, because the origin of the foreign object is part of foul territory it can no longer be caught for an out.
- Tagging up on a caught foul ball is allowed.
- Tips with Foul Balls:
- A kicked ball that initially lands/rolls in fair territory before 1st and 3rd base could then rolls into foul territory; therefore it is in the fielding teams’ best interests to be with the ball and stop it while it is still moving in foul territory.
- A kicked ball that initially lands/rolls in foul territory before 1st and 3rd base could then rolls into fair territory; therefore it is in the fielding teams’ to actively field any ball that is kicked.
OTHER RULES
No wearing of metal spikes or kicking with any footwear that may damage the kickball or cause bodily harm.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
Play will generally continue in all weather conditions and games are rarely cancelled due to weather. Please monitor the IM hotline (x55454) for further information regarding effected games. Head supervisors reserve the right to cancel games in the event of inclement weather with approval from the IM Director.