Kickball Rules

Important Things To Know

If you are new to kickball, here are few important things to know about our co-ed kickball leagues. Scroll below to see a full list of league rules and regulations.

• If not listed below, the scenario follows Major League Baseball rules and regulations.
• Dodgeball Rule: Any runner who catches the ball being thrown at them will be deemed SAFE and allowed to go to next base (except when running to first base).
• It is encouraged to have a female pitch, who may use speed and spin in her delivery. A male is permitted to pitch but may only “slow pitch.”
• Tagging and Pegging with the kickball are allowed (no head shots).
• 3 fouls equal an OUT and 3 strikes also equals an out. However, a combination of four fouls and strikes (ie 2 fouls & 2 strikes) equals an out. A swing and a miss is a strike.
• A valid starting lineup is 4 Females, 6 Males (Females can compensate for males, but not vice versa).
• When a female is kicking, outfielders must remain behind the co-ed line.
• Minimum of 2 females in the INFIELD.
• Minimum of 4 innings and Max of 7 innings or 60 minutes. No innings will begin after the 50-minute mark.
• Rock, Paper, Scissors will determine home and away during regular season.

Game Play

FORFEITS:

• If a team does not present an eligible roster before the 10-minute grace period, the game will be considered a forfeit.
• An eligible roster must have 7 players from their team. Of those 7 players, one player must be a female. 
• Forfeits get recorded as a 10-0 win/loss.

START OF GAME:

• Rock, Paper, Scissors will determine home and away during regular season.
• 10-minute grace periods for shorthanded teams.

TIME:

• Minimum of 4 innings and Max of 7 innings or 60 minutes.
• No new innings shall start after the 50-minute mark of game play and so is the last inning.
• Tie games are possible but not favored. OT if time permits.
• The clock starts when the home team takes the field in the top of the 1st inning or at umpire’s starting if team is shorthanded. The 10-minute grace period counts toward the 60 minutes of play.
• Play continues until an umpire calls time.

SCORING:

• There is no mercy rule in regular season.
• A 10-run cap is in place for run differential for all games.

Ball In Play

LIVE BALL:

Ball in the pitcher’s hand in the vicinity of the mound ends the play. A circle will be drawn by the umpire before the game. Any runners more than halfway may continue. The ball is still live again IF the pitcher makes a play on a runner by the ball leaving that vicinity, throws the ball or drops the ball.

PEGGING & TAGGING:

Tagging runner or base or hitting runner is permissible. Ball may be thrown or kicked at a player for an out. Any ball that touches a base runner is an out. EXCEPT:

• NO Head Shots (above the shoulders - unless the runner is sliding, ducking, or purposely uses their head to block the ball) for first contact
• If runner gets hit in the head (first contact) then they are allowed that base plus 1 extra base
• runner has run through the first base bag or standing on a base

Play remains live after contact except during a headshot or player makes intentional act to impede play by kicking/batting ball after called out.

INFIELD FLY:

There is no CALLED infield fly rule. Any dropped infield pop-up (intentional or not) that results in a double or triple play will not be allowed. After the first out is made the play is dead.

OUT OF BOUNDS:

• Overthrows/kicks/deflections etc; over the fence or in the dugout or touches a player on defensive team standing outside the dugout are out of bounds.
• If a ball is considered to be out of bounds, the play is dead and runners will go to the base they running to plus an extra base.
• If offensive team interferes with a live ball, the play is dead and runners can be deemed out or made to return to previous base based on umpire discretion.

OVER THE FENCE:

• A kicked ball that goes over the outfield fence in the air is considered a home run.
• A kicked ball that bounces over the outfield fence, whether touched or not, is treated as the rule above where the kicker and runners get 1 extra base past the bag they are heading to when the ball goes out of play.

Roster Requirements

TEAM PLAYERS:

• There is no maximum amount of players allowed on a roster.
• A team must have at least 4 females and 6 males signed in and on the lineup card. Females can compensate for males, but not vice versa.
• Teams can play with the minimum of 7 players from their roster, but outs will be assumed in place of missing players.
• Teams without a proper starting lineup must take outs in the batting order (male or female). The captain must notify the umpire where the out(s) will be taken the first time through the lineup.
• Players that are late are added to the end of the lineup as long as they arrive before the start of the 4th inning.
• If a squad has less than the required 4 females, but more than the 6 males, all players can kick, but a MAX of 6 males in the field remains (i.e., play with 9 or 8, etc.) and outs must be taken in the order where females are missing.

GUEST PLAYERS:

• No more than 3 guest players are allowed to play in a game. Guest players do not have to be okayed by opposing team.
• No guest players are permitted if the opposing team is short-handed as well until teams are at equal strength.
• ALL guest players must kick at the end of the lineup and only eligible to play OF. The only exception is if all 3 guests are females then one can play catcher.

Defense & Fielding

FIELDING:

• Minimum of 2 females in the INFIELD.
• Teams must have a pitcher and catcher.
• Players in the lineup are not required to play in the field.
• Any guest player must play in the outfield. The exception to this rule is if all 3 guest players are female, then one of the females may play catcher to meet the infield requirements. 

CO-ED & BUNTING LINES:

• During a female kicker, outfielders must stand behind the co-ed line until the ball is kicked.
• Defensive bunting lines are in place to protect bunters. Lines are connected between the pitching mound and 1st and 3rd base lines. Infielders must remain behind bunting lines until the ball is kicked.
• If a defensive player is encroaching at contact of the ball (i.e., into the infield with a female kicking before contact, cross the “bunt” line, etc.) and is involved in the play, kicker will be announced safe at 1st and a dead ball is called. 

PITCHERS:

• It is encouraged to have a female pitch, who may use speed and spin in their delivery. A male is permitted to pitch but may only “slow pitch.”
• Pitches by females can be any speed or spin, but do not have to be kicked.
• Pitcher cannot have an extended approach to the rubber (or area next to if mound is deemed uncomfortable/dangerous). Pitcher must RELEASE THE BALL while foot is on the mound (rubber if it’s there).
• Pitcher must stay at or behind the pitcher’s line until the ball is kicked.
• Pitch by hand only.

CATCHERS:

• Catchers must stand behind the kicker and/or home plate until the ball is kicked. They may approach with the kicker as long as contact/interference is not caused.
• Catchers cannot sneak up the baseline a few feet to attempt to play the bunt better until ball is kicked.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• At the start of each inning, a team can play any player from the lineup at any defensive position.
• 1 defensive switch per position, per inning (pre-pitch) among players already in the field. Once a player moves to a position, they must remain there for the duration of the inning. Players can move wherever after the ball has made contact with the kicker.

Pitches & Fouls

PITCHES:

• A "ball" or "strike" is at the umpire discretion and a pitch is determined based on speed, spin, bounce, and location of ball as it crosses the strike zone. The two-bounce rule used at the national level is not in play in our club.
• 3 fouls equal an OUT.
• 3 good pitches (strikes) is a strike out.
• A combination of any 4 strikes or fouls (ie 2 strikes and 2 foulds) is an out.
• A swing and a miss is a strike.
• 4 balls is walk - kicker goes to first base.
• Additionally, any kicker who receives 4 balls without a strike or foul would receive a double walk (go straight to 2B).

FOUL BALLS: (KICKING)

• Ball must make contact with foot or lower leg (below the knee) only or else it is a foul ball.
• Contact with the pitch must be made within the arc in front of the plate drawn by the umpire. Infraction is an instant foul ball, despite the result of the play. The plant foot of the kicker must be on or behind the arc when contact is made. A delayed dead ball is called when an infraction occurs. If it is the third foul ball or fourth combined strike of the at-bat, the batter is out.
• Immediate double touch is a foul ball if batter is in the designated batting area. If the kicker is outside the box or beyond the arc in front of home plate, the batter is called out at umpire’s discretion.
• A pitched ball making contact with the batter in the box does not equate to an automatic foul ball. If the umpire feels there is not true intent to make an offer to the pitch, they do not have to rule it a foul ball. If a player is running up to kick and has the ball bounce and hit them, the ball is live. If it goes fair, it is a fair ball, and it is a foul if it goes foul.

FOUL BALLS: (FIELDING)

• The ball must stay in between the 1st and 3rd base, but after the bases it can roll out of the foul line and still be fair.
• If the ball ever touches a player in fair territory, ball is fair. If ball ever touches a player in foul territory then ball is foul. Wherever the ball is first touched determines if it is fair or foul. The positioning of the body has no effect on fair or foul in this league. It is the location of the ball upon first touch.
• A ball kicked that hits a runner standing on the base is a fair ball with the ball in play unless the body part of the runner hit is clearly in foul territory. The base is a safe zone for the runner and the runner is not out.
• If a player is standing in fair territory and reaches into foul territory to touch the ball, it's a foul ball. The location of the BALL on first touch, not the PLAYER, determines fair/foul.

Offense & Kicking

LINEUP:

• Lineups must be written and posted in the dugout and also exchanged if the other team requests.
• Every player present kicks in the designated kicking lineup but does not have to play in the field.
• Kicking out of order results in an out for the kicker that was out of order if appealed by opposing team after the at bat ends. This is not the responsibility of the umpire to enforce or keep track of. If appealed and upheld, the kicker skipped is called out and the resulting play is nullified with the correct batter then coming up. This must be appealed before the first pitch of the next batter.
• Mid-count changes to kickers do not result in outs, even if appealed by the defense, but the batting count is not reset. This pertains to mistakes caught by the offensive or defensive team before the bat is concluded.

KICKING:

• Bunting is permissible.
• When bunting a kicker may not stop the ball completely.

BASE COACHES:

• Base coaches are optional.
• Base coaches cannot intentionally touch the ball in play or interfere with the defense or the nearest runner is out.
• Accidental touching is deemed a dead ball with runners returning to previous base.
• Base coaches must stay in coaches box.
• Base coaches can't physically assist runners or the runner is out.

Running

DODGEBALL RULE:

Any runner who catches the ball being thrown at them will be deemed SAFE and allowed to go to next base they are attempting to advance to. Play is dead upon possession.

The dodgeball rules does not count and is considered an out and play is dead when:

• a runner who catches the ball is running from home to first base
• a runner catches a ball from the intial kick contact from batter
• the ball makes contact with the ground before being caught
• the ball is not thrown but stripped from a defensive player trying to make a tag

Catching a ball while on a base does not result in advancement. Any runner attempting to catch a ball who fails - and is off a base - will be deemed out and play is still live. A dropped attempted catch while standing on the bag does not result in an out. Also, if a player fails to tag up and then catches a thrown ball, they will be deemed safe at the base they failed to tag up on and can remain there. 

BASE RUNNING:

• Ties DO NOT go to the runner.
• There will be NO SLIDING allowed into 1B when running from home plate.
• All kickers running through 1B must use the safety base or they will be called out. Runners looking to round the base can use the inside base. A collision on 1B, or in the event of a throw drawing the fielder in the base line, when the runner does not use the safety bag nullifies obstruction.
• Runners making a move or turn toward 2nd base after crossing the 1B bag with intent to advance are subject to being tagged by a fielder for an out. This can be in foul territory as well. Simply turning toward the field of play or crossing the line does not constitute intent.
• NO leading off when pitcher has ball until ball is kicked.
• Base runners leaving early while a player is kicking will be called out, and play is dead. Kicker must re-kick.
• Runners must stay within 3 feet of their established baseline. This includes the path established when rounding bases at full speed.
• NO running past or touching another runner (2nd runner will be out). The first runner is still live and in play.

TAGGING UP:

• Tagging up is permitted. As soon as the defensive player TOUCHES the ball a runner may leave the base. It doesn't have to be a clean catch.
• Teams wishing to appeal a runner potentially leaving early must give the ball to the pitcher to get time called, then step on the appealed base. Until time is called, the game is played as normal. If the appeal is successful and is not the 3rd out, all runs scored still count. If the appeal is successful and it results in the 3rd out of the inning, all runs scored are taken off the board.

PINCH RUNNING:

• Pinch runners must be of same gender, preferably the last out made.
• Limited to one per inning total (not per gender).
• If the pinch runner comes up to bat that inning with them still on base, the due up batter who is on base running is called out.
• In the event of an in-game injury, player may be removed without penalty (as long as game minimum requirements are met) and cannot reenter. If the game minimum requirements are now not met, an out must be taken in that spot.

Interference

• Interference with a runner results in a safe to base. This includes catcher making contact with kicker while kicker is attempting to make contact with the ball or a fielder impeding the baseline without the ball or making a play on the ball. If the umpire deems that runner could have advanced to another base as a result, obstruction is called and another base can be awarded.
• Interfering with a tag out by snatching the ball, holding the ball, kicking the ball, etc. will result in a dead ball with all base runners going back to the base they had just previously left before the incident happened.
• In the event a runner and fielder collide in the base path, dead ball is called and the runner is ruled safe (unless the fielder has the ball in clear possession or is there to make a clear play on the ball) and could be awarded the next base if deemed necessary by umpire.
• A bad throw to any base where the fielder goes into the baseline to catch the ball is up to umpire discretion. A fielder has the right to play the thrown ball and it does not automatically mean obstruction. It's up to the runner to avoid contact.

Playoffs

• All playoff games are subject to mercy rule. 15-run lead after 3 innings, 12 after 4, 10 after 5.
• NO guest players are allowed for playoffs unless team is shorthanded.
• Teams that are short can only play with a maximum of 9 as to not gain a competitive advantage.
• Teams may not pick up players who are on the roster of another team in the same league. 
• An eligible roster player is someone who played and was counted as present on the signed roster sheet at least 3 times during the season to be eligible for playoffs or seek Club Representitive approval.
• Home and Away and field assignments will be determined by higher seeds. Captains must be at the field 10 minutes prior to game time to go through the process.
• In extra innings, the last kickers of the previous inning will start on 2B.
• This runner cannot be pinch ran for and the inning still starts with no outs. Both teams have equal opportunity to score.
• If last "kicker" was an automatic out to end the previous inning, then no runner starts on 2B. If the first “kicker” of the extra inning is the automatic out, the last kicker of the previous inning is still placed on 2B to start the inning, an out is taken for the automatic out, and the next kicker is up with one out.