WIFFLEBALL RULEBOOK
RULE 1: TEAM FORMATION
Section 1. Roster
1. Number of Players. There is no maximum number of players allowed on a team roster. All players must be listed on the roster and sign the RCSSC waiver to participate.
2. Adding Players. Players may be added at any time until the final tee shirt order date. After that time, until the third week of play, a team must drop a player before it may add a player. The dropped player must provide his/her tee shirt to the added player. After the third week of play, team rosters are frozen. Teams must provide an updated roster to the Commissioner at the end of the third week. See the Commissioner for additional roster forms.
3. Players on the Field. A team may have no more than seven players on the field at one time. A team must have two female players playing in the infield/outfield. No more than four male players are allowed on the field at a time. A team must have at least four players (two female players and two male players) to avoid a forfeit.
4. Late Arrivals. A late-arriving player may be inserted into the bottom of the order. A late player may immediately enter the field, if that player’s team is not batting.
5. Field Players. Fielders include a pitcher, catcher, second baseman, shortstop, left center fielder, right center fielder, and short fielder.
Section 2. Player Restrictions
1. Age. Players must be 22 years old at the start of the season.
2. Team Membership. Players may only play for one team.
3. Violations. Teams that violate the rules in this section will forfeit the entire season’s games and must pay a fine.
Section 3. Uniforms
1. Tee shirts. RCSSC will provide each team with tee shirts for its roster. All players must wear the RCSSC tee shirt for each game.
2. Permitted Alterations. Players may add their names, numbers, and other similar personal information to their tee shirts. Players may also add depictions of the American flag. Players’ additions may not cover the RCSSC or sponsor logo.
3. Excluded Alterations. Players may not add any corporate information to their tee shirts, including website addresses and company names. Players may not include any offensive material on their tee shirts. The Commissioner has the exclusive right to determine whether additions are offensive.
4. Penalty. Players who do not wear the official RCSSC tee shirt will be sidelined for that game. Players who are caught exchanging shirts will also be sidelined, and if the players are not listed on the team roster, the team will forfeit the game and must pay a fine. Teams with players who violate alteration guidelines must purchase new RCSSC shirts ($20/shirt), and the team will forfeit all games until it has paid for the new shirts.
Section 4. Equipment
1. Equipment. The RCSSC will supply all field equipment, including a bat and balls.
RULE 2: THE GAME AND FORFEITS
Section 1. Start of the Game
1. Home Team. The home team is listed first on the schedule. The home team takes the field first and uses the far side benches. The home team will also keep the official scorebook. The visitor team will use near side (glass) as benches.
2. Scorebooks. Each team must keep score and maintain its own scorebook.
3. Bats and Balls. All bats and balls will be provided by RCSSC. The RED bat is for use by female players only.
4. Ground Rules. The umpire will meet with the coaches of both teams to review ground rules prior to the start of the game.
Section 2. The Clock
1. Time. All games have a 50 minute time limit. All games must start on time.
2. Innings. There is no minimum or maximum number of innings. Games will be official after 4 innings or 3 ½ innings if the home team is ahead.
3. Time Expiration. If time expires in the middle of an inning, the score reverts to the last full inning played. However, if the home team has taken the lead or ties the game when time expires, the score will not revert back. EXCEPTION: If the Home Team is at bat and there is a batter in the batter's box, that player will be allowed to finish his/her at bat.
4. Warm Up. Only one warm up pitch is allowed between innings.
Section 3. Forfeits
1. Minimum Players. If the home team does not have the minimum number of players (four: two male players and two female players) to start the game, then the visiting team takes the field first. If the original home team does not have the minimum number of players by its turn at bat, a $50 forfeit fine will be assessed.
2. Avoiding Forfeit. If the forfeiting team emails the RCSSC Commissioner by 5:00 p.m. Thursday, no forfeit fine will be assessed, since it will allow time for the Commissioner notify the opposing team of the impending forfeit. Email forfeits to rivercityssc@aol.com .
3. Fine. The forfeit fine will be contributed to the forfeiting team’s opponent’s bar tab the following week. The fine recipient must use the tab the following week: the fine will not be carried over.
4. Time of Payment. $50 forfeit deposit will be used for 1 game. Any additional forfeit fines must be paid before the next scheduled game.
5. Failure to Pay. Teams that fail to pay an assessed fine before the subsequent week’s game will have two points subtracted from their win total. After the second week, the fine will double.
6. Ejection. After three weeks of nonpayment, the Commissioner may eject the team from the league.
Section 4. Inclement Weather
1. Policy. The RCSSC may, at its option, shorten the regular season and/or the playoff schedule (and the number of teams that make the playoffs) as cancellations due to weather may require. No refunds will be given.
2. Alternate Schedule. The RCSSC has the right to schedule rain-out games on days other than regularly scheduled games.
RULE 3: SPORTSMANSHIP
1. Social Aspect of League. Teams should patronize the sponsor bar after its game. The league’s focus is on being social, not winning or losing.
2. Unsportsmanlike Conduct. Any RCSSC member that does not conduct himself or herself, whether on or off the field, in a manner that demonstrates courtesy and respect for his/her own teammates and other teams will be removed from the league. RCSSC staff umpires will keep a record of all players and/or teams who engage in unsportsmanlike conduct.
3. Player Penalties. Players who engage in two offenses will be suspended from the league and be ineligible to participate in any RCSSC sports for one year.
4. Team Penalties. Teams who engage in two offenses will be ineligible to participate in any RCSSC sports for one year.
5. Fighting. Fighting will result in a player’s or a team’s permanent suspension from participation in the RCSSC.
RULE 4: PLAY OF GAME
Section 1. Outfield
1. Rotation. Players may rotate from one field position to another.
2.
Outfield.
Outfielders
must remain 5 yards past the infield grass line. If the outfielder
is closer then 5 yards when he/she makes a play, all runners will be
safe.
3. Base Play. The pitcher will be considered the first baseman (must be on the mound). The pitcher will receive balls thrown to him/her to get runners out going to first base. Any player may tag the Pitcher's mound to force an out at 1st. NO Stepping on 1st base to get an out. The player can be tagged. The second baseman must cover second base and the shortstop must cover third base to get runners out.
4. Dead Ball. The umpire will automatically call a dead ball when the ball reaches the pitcher, so long as the pitcher is standing on the mound. All runners who are less than halfway between bases must return to their previous base, and all runners who are more than halfway between bases may proceed to the next base.
Section 2. Batting
1. Batting. Everyone on a team may bat, but no more than two male players may bat in a row. A female player may bat twice in the same lineup to accommodate the 2 to 1 ratio of batting. The batting order must stay the same throughout the game. If you do not have at least 3 female players, you must play short and will get an automatic out when that position, the “ghost player”, is reached in the batting order. If you play with 4 players and have at least 2 female players, you do not have to take an automatic out.
2. Running. Runners must stay within the base line and fielders must stay out of the base line. Fielders trying to make an out on the base may have their foot on base, but must lean out of the baseline to avoid contact with the runner. Runners hindered by any fielder within the base line shall be safe at the base to which they were running.
3. Scoring Plate: The incoming base runner must tag the scoring plate (orange) located behind the batter’s box. To tag a runner out at home plate, the catcher must stand on home plate (white) to receive the ball and does not have to tag the base runner. If the base runner tags the home plate, he will be called out if the catcher is standing on the base. Always a force out at Home plate.
ONCE RUNNER PASSES HASH-MARK, HE/SHE MUST COMMIT TO HOME PLATE.
Section 3. The Calls
1. The Count. Each batter starts with a one ball and one strike count. The batter is out after a third strike, including a foul ball that is hit after two strikes.
2. Strikes. A pitch is a strike if it hits the net behind the batter. A foul ball is also a strike.
3. Balls. A pitch is a ball if it does not hit the net behind the batter. Pitches that are not at a reasonable speed (no fastballs) for male players or that are not hittable for female players are also balls.
4. Out. A count of three outs concludes the other team’s half of an inning. An out occurs when
The count reaches three strikes.
A player is touched by the ball at any point while not on base.
A runner who is on the same base with another runner is tagged by the ball.
A hit ball, foul or fair, is caught in the air.
A fielder tags a base to which a runner is forced to run.
A runner is off the base when the ball is hit.
A player slides into a base.
A player leads off or steals. Runners may only leave their bases after the ball is hit.
5. Walk. A walk occurs once four balls are called. Any walks to a male batter with a female batter behind him will result in an additional base award if there are runners on base. If the bases are empty, the male runner will proceed to second base. The female player will then bat unless there are two outs: if there are two outs, she will have the option to walk or bat.
6. Bunting. Bunting is not allowed. A batted ball must travel five feet past home plate or it will be called a strike.
7.
Fly Balls.
If a fly ball is caught in foul territory after the third strike,
the ball remains live.
8. Run Limit. There is a nine run limit per inning. After the ninth run crosses the plate, play must stop, regardless of the number of outs.
9. Netting. Balls hit off the netting are fair and can be played by the defense. Ceiling netting can be caught for an out. Side netting is just a live ball unless in foul territory.
10. Home Run. A ball that hits the home run “target” in center field will be an automatic home run
11. Pinch Runner. An injured player may receive a pinch runner after he/she reaches first base. The last player out of the preceding inning becomes the pinch runner.
12. Pitching. Soft/hittable under or over hand pitches ONLY. NO – Fast balls, Knuckle balls, Curve balls, Sliders, etc.
13. Dugout Doors. Dug-out Doors must be kept closed at ALL TIMES, except when entering or exiting players. A point will be deducted each time the Umpire has to remind you to close the door after his/her 1st verbal warning.
14. Hash-Marks. Possession of the ball on the pitcher mound ( by any fielder) will result in a dead/stopped ball. All runners who have not advanced beyond the red hash-marks, must return to pervious base. Remember: Once you have passed the red mark going towards home plate, you must commit to the home plate. A forced out will apply.
RULE 5: TEAM STANDINGS
1. Points Awarded. Points will be awarded to teams as follows: Win, 3 points; Tie, 1 point; Loss, 0 points.
2. Ties. During the regular season, there will be no overtime to break ties.
3. Playoffs. The Commissioner will determine the number of teams making the playoffs. The computerized playoff wizard will break regular season record ties. Playoff games will start immediately after the end of the regular season
4. Playoff Tie Breaker. If a game is tied at the end of regulation, a tiebreaker inning(s) will occur. The home team will take the field with the visiting team at bat. The batting order will continue from the previous inning. The last player out in the previous inning will be placed on second base. The batter will start with a count of 2 balls and 2 strikes. After three outs, the home team will start its inning in the same format. Tiebreaker innings will continue until one team outscores the other.
REMINDERS
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Please avoid contact at all costs.
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NO GLASS containers.
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NO alcohol.
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PLEASE police yourself.
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Coaches are responsible for controlling their teams. We are all adults. Enough said.
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PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR BAR!!!!!