Sport City Wiffle Ball Rules

First and foremost, all Sport City leagues are designed to make sure everyone has fun. We expect individuals to respect the league’s culture of fair and fun play. Foul language and rough play will not be tolerated and individuals who cannot adhere to our standards of fair play and sportsmanship may be asked to leave the league. Sport City wants everyone to have fun and be social while enjoying a great sport. Sport City will do whatever they can to make sure all players are having fun.

1. GAME TIME – Games are scheduled one hour apart. Games will be played for 7 innings or 55 min whichever one comes first. There will be no new innings started after 50 minutes of playing time. A 5 minute grace period is allowed if not enough players are present at the scheduled game time (five players are required to avoid a forfeit). After that, the game will be a forfeit.

2. THE FIELD – Field of play will equal the dimensions of a standard softball field (i.e., with the bases being 45 feet apart.

3. RAIN OUTS - The decision to delay game times, or to reschedule games to other dates, will be made on game day. An appropriate message will be posted on the league page and emails and text will be sent out as early as possible. Do not ask about cancellations. Sport City will do everything in its power to play the games in a safe and competitive environment. If games must be rescheduled, a revised schedule will be made the within 48 hours of the cancelled game and emailed to the team captains. Cancelled games will be moved to the end of the schedule.

4. TOURNAMENT ELIGIBILITY - There will be a single elimination tournament at the end of the season. Players must play in at least 2 regular season games to be eligible to play in the tournament and they must be on the roster.

5. TIES FOR TOURNAMENT 'SEEDING' - Ties for seeding and divisional winners are broken in the following order:

A. Forfeited games B. Scores against each other

C. Least points allowed D. Total points scored E. Coin toss

6. STANDINGS - Weekly standings and any changes to the following week’s schedule due to rainouts, forfeits, etc. are posted on the website within 48 hours of completed games.

7. DISCUSSIONS WITH OFFICIALS - ONLY the team captain may leave the bench for discussions with either official. Said discussions are to be conducted calmly and in a respectful manner. Captains are responsible for the conduct of their players. See Code of Conduct.

8. PERSONAL CONDUCT - The throwing of equipment by a "disgruntled" player is not allowed and may result in the player being ejected from the game. An official can call any game ended at any time, regardless of the score, if unsafe play is exhibited by any team member during the course of the game. Any player guilty of moral misbehavior, bad sportsmanship or interference in any way adversely affecting the benefits the program offers for others, shall be disciplined either by restricting his playing privilege or expulsion from the team and league. EJECTION FROM A GAME WILL CARRY THROUGH THE NEXT SCHEDULED GAME. Repeated offenses will result in ejection from the league. See Code of Conduct.

9. FORFEITS – If a team forfeits a game, a $25 penalty is due before the next game. Upon the second forfeit (regular season or tournament) the team will be immediately kicked OUT OF THE LEAGUE and will not be allowed to participate the following season. Game will be recorded as 10-0 loss for any forfeits.

10. PROTESTS - The official's decision on judgment calls is FINAL. The only legal protest is one involving a misinterpretation of the rules, or the use of an ineligible player. To file a protest, the captain must immediately notify the official. The official will announce that the game is being played under protest. To be considered, the protest must be made in writing via email and must be de within 48 hours of the game in question (with a $10 deposit to be returned if the protest is upheld).

11. MERCY RULE - If a team is up by 15 or more runs in the 5th inning, the mercy rule will be called and the game will be over.

12. PLAYER EQUIPMENT –

· All players must wear their Sports City uniform.(Tshirt) Sport City UNIFORMS are REQUIRED!! All team members must be in an Sport City league shirt or a Sport City Championship shirt. If a player on the team has forgotten their shirt, they will be accessed an out when their turn comes up in the lineup and will not be allowed to bat until the second time through the lineup. This is a one-time out but it could be costly so be sure to wear your league shirt! Sport City uniform must be from current season and must be visible unless weather conditions dictate otherwise and approved by league officials.

· Shoes- All players must wear shoes.

Sport City Wiffleball Rules-Cheat Sheet

Any rule or situation not expressly defined here will default to Sport City Wiffle Ball or MLB rules. At the end of the day, these calls will be made by the head umpire and whatever their call is, it stands.

You’ll notice they’re “mostly” the same as baseball, with the main differences being:

– Games are 7 innings or 55 minutes long. No new inning will start after 50 min mark.

– Home and Visitor will be determined by doing best of three Paper, Rock, Scissors

– There are 8 players max in the field (minimum of 6 – must have at least one person of each gender)

– Batting order must have a male or female every 3 batters.

– All teams must have a female in the outfield and infield (In the event of only having 1 girl then they can play in the outfield or infield)

- 8 players on the field, at least 3 females, or an auto out is recorded each time missing female is to bat in the lineup. Teams must have at least 1 female in the infield & 1 in the outfield. For every female missing from the line up, you lose 1 guy in the field. During the regular season, a team can recruit players from other teams(from the same league and night) to play if they do not meet the minimum amount of players required. You can only recruit to get to the minimum of 6 players and/or to avoid 2 auto outs. During the playoffs, only actual team members can play for their teams.

(ex: if there are only 2 females in the line up, you can only play with 6 in the field. If you only have 1 female, only 5 players can play in the field)

- When setting the batting order, 3 males may not be placed together unless they are at the bottom of the order and all 3 females have been utilized. Batting order should start with a female in between every two males in the lineup, unless there are more females than males, whereas you can place back to back females wherever you decide within the order.

- Forfeit will be rendered after a 10 minute wait and that time counts towards the length of game.

- Mercy Rule: 1)Team is up 15 runs after 6 innings

2) 10 runs after 40 min then no new inning will be started. No mercy rule in playoffs for final four teams.

- Offensive pitcher must release the ball from the pitching rubber.

- Defensive players must stay equal to or behind the base line

- When the defensive player possesses the ball and the umpire has called time, the play is dead. At that time, any runner more than 1/2 way to the next base is awarded that base. If not ½ way, the runner must return to the previous base.

– Each batter has a six-pitch maximum. Pitch must be thrown over hand and with one foot on the pitching rubber. If they have not hit the ball in fair play they will be out.

– Strike zone is any part of the rectangular strike zone(Logo backing and plastic part attached to the metal logo sheet are all strikes). If the ball hits the legs it is not a strike.

– 3 strikes are an out

– A foul third strike is an out. No courtesy fouls shall be given

_ Bunting or chopping down on the ball is not allowed and will result in a dead ball with the batter being called out. If ball does not pass the bunt line then it will be called a foul ball.

– A batted ball that hits the mat is a foul ball.

_ A batted ball that hits the offensive pitcher or the bucket is a dead ball & the batter is called out.

– All infielders must stay behind the base line stretching from first to second and second to third base until the ball is batted. Failure to do so results in the batter being able to take the result of the play are option to hit again.

– If a batted ball is caught on the fly, runners must tag their originating base (on or after the moment the ball is first touched by a fielder) before running to the next base. They do not have to wait until the ball is physically caught.

-- There is no leading off bases or stealing. If runner leaves early, then the runner is out. Result of play is umpire’s judgement.

– No sliding into Home Ever!!!

-- No headfirst sliding! You may dive back to a base you are returning to but do so at your own risk.

– Running to 1st base, the runner must use the outside safety bag anytime there is a play at first place or if the runner is not advancing to second base

– You can throw the ball at base runners, but no head shots! Ball can hit the ground before it hits the runner. Please be courteous and do not peg someone when it is not needed.

- A ball thrown at a runners head (when they are standing in a primarily upright position) will be ruled a dead ball with the runner being deemed safe and given the base. Other runners may advance only if forced to by “hit runner”. If the runner attempts to duck, or dodge out of the way, and gets hit in the head, the runners will be ruled out and the ball will still be considered live and still in play.

- Any ball that makes contact with a runner who is not on a base, whether batted or thrown, will result in an out.

- You have 10 seconds from the time you name is called to get in the batters box to bat or you will be called out.

– Don’t block the base paths, interference can be called and runner will get next base. Especially at second base, do not stand directly on the bag.

– Can’t block Home Plate.

- No dangly jewelry.

- No Gloves of any kind are allowed in the field.

- Sport City UNIFORMS are REQUIRED!! All team members must be in an Sport City league shirt or a Sport City Championship shirt. If a player on the team has forgotten their shirt, they will be accessed an out when their turn comes up in the lineup and will not be allowed to bat until the second time through the lineup. This is a one-time out but it could be costly so be sure to wear your league shirt!

– In the event of an injured player; the player can be removed without penalty but cannot come back in the game. If it occurs while on the bases, the runner can have a pinch runner that is a female that was last to get out.

– Games ending in a tie- if the score is tied at the end of 55 minutes and the last inning has been completed then each team will chose a male and female batter for a one pitch hitoff/home run derby. Each Batter will then get one swing. Visitor Team’s 1st batter bats and then Home Teams 1st batter bats and then Team A’s 2nd batter and then Team B’s 2nd batter. The team that hits a Home Run or their ball goes the farthest in the air will win. If both teams hit a home run everyone that hit a home run will advance to the next round. Distance does not matter for home run. ****Playoff Rule Exception. We will play and extra inning and then have the home run derby if still tied. Championship game there is no time limit or home run derby. You keep playing until determine a winner.

**Playoff Rainout-Any semi final or final game that has completed 6 innings (or 5 & 1/2 with the home team winning) and is stopped due to rain and is called, is considered a complete game. If there are less innings completed than mentioned above, the game is not considered complete & will restart from the 1st inning the following week but will carry the score over from the following week. If only the 1st 1/2 of an inning is complete, the score would revert back to the last full inning to start the score for next week. For example: Home Team A is beating Visiting B 10-4 after 3 full innings & it is called due to weather or for any reason, the game would not be complete, but would start off next week in the 1st inning with team B batting in the top of the 1st down 10-4. The other example is if Team B scores 3 runs in the top of the 4th to make the score Team A 6 & Team B 4 & the game is called without Team A getting their at bat in the bottom of the 4th, the game would start the following week with Team A leading 6-1 to start the 1st inning.

Sport City Wiffle Ball Rules

1. EQUIPMENT

Sport City will provide equipment. This will consist of bats, ball, bases and the Sport City Green Monster .

2. PARTICIPANTS

All players must be 21 years of age or older. Players may only play on a team on which they are registered. Exception: You may function as a substitute player for another team if they are short a man or woman as long as you are a registered Sport City Member. This is ONLY valid during the regular season. Teams caught using a non Sport City League Member will forfeit that game and could face possible expulsion from the league.

3. TEAMS

Sport City is proud to relieve captains of the burden of paying for full teams. While captains and players are able to prepay for additional players and or full teams, it is not a requirement for participation in our leagues. We welcome individual player payments. We are also proud to welcome those who do not have a full team (small groups and free agents) to participate in our league. Only online payments made through www.SportCityrec.com or a team check for our corporate teams are acceptable forms of payment.

Our primary mission is to make it easier for people to have fun and get involved with social sports and these policies help accomplish that goal.

Because of these policies all registrations are on a first come first serve basis and any roster that does not reach our standard size (based on each sport) is eligible to receive free agents and or small group by the league. Rosters made up of primarily free agents and or a collection of small groups may field more players than the standard roster size. This policy is in place to help ensure free agent teams are able to consistently field teams each week.

4. CAPTAINS

Each team shall have one Captain and one Co-Captain who are charged with:

- Making sure that only players registered on their team are participating on their behalf in a game.

- Texting your lineup by 3pm on game day to 910-617-6665. Make sure you put your team name in the text. We do not need field position. This will insure that games start on time and respecting everyone’s time.

- Insuring that their players bat in the same order throughout the game (if necessary, teams can exchange batting lineups prior to the game).

- Disputing a call on the field and remaining cool at all times.

- Making sure everyone on their team understands the rules.

- Turning in the game results to the appropriate person.

- Staying in contact with Sport City and attending all required league meetings.

- Communicating any changes in regards to scheduling or rules with his/her team.

- Ensuring that everyone on his team is eligible to play.

- Contacting the other team and the league in the event of a forfeit by 2:00 pm.

A team must have at least 6 players minimum – at least one male and one female – and no more than 8 players in the field each inning.

Every player present is required to be in the batting line up. Every player present is required to play at least one (1) inning in the field. If a team does not have the required minimum number of players in the fielding lineup, then the team must forfeit. During the regular season, a team can recruit players from other teams(from the same league and night) to play if they do not meet the minimum amount of players required. You can only recruit to get to the minimum of 6 players and/or to avoid 2 auto outs. During the playoffs, only actual team members can play for their teams.

If a team is playing with less than 8 players. If a team cannot field at least 6 players, they automatically forfeit.

Any team that forfeits two or more games will be removed from the remaining schedule and not be allowed to participate in any playoff situations. No refunds will be given and a team dropped by the league may, at Sport City discretion, not be allowed to rejoin the next season.

Sport City will provide team t-shirts to all teams. Players must wear their official t-shirt during all games. Teams are encouraged to be creative with names and t-shirts, without removing or obscuring the Sport City logo or the logo of the sponsor bar.

5. PITCHING/CATCHING

The pitcher must plant their foot on the pitching strip as they wind-up to pitch. If the pitcher is hit by a pitched ball the batter is out and the runners must return to their original base.

The pitcher must stay behind the pitching strip until the ball is hit. Failure to do so results in a ball. All infielders must stay behind the imaginary base line between first and second and second and third until the ball is batted. Failure to do so results in a ball.

6. RUNNER IS OUT

Neither leading off base, nor stealing a base is allowed. A runner may only move off after the ball has been kicked. And you can’t pass the runner in front of you. Nor can you pick up the runner in front of you and carry them. These are outs.

Hitting a runner with the ball above shoulder level is not allowed. Any runner hit above the shoulders is safe and advances one base. Exceptions:

If the runner intentionally uses his head to block the ball then the runner is out. If the runner is ducking, diving or sliding (i.e. attempts to dodge the ball) and is hit in the head because of this, he/she is out.

If a batted ball is caught on the fly, runners must tag their originating base (on or after the moment the ball is first touched by a fielder) before running to the next base.

Only one base on an overthrow is allowed to the runner. The one base is not automatic and the runner must take the risk of being made out. The one base is only available before the play ends.

The batter-runner is out when:

1. he intentionally interferes with the catcher’s attempt to field the ball

b. After batting a ball, he intentionally contacts the ball a second time in fair or foul territory. The ball is dead and no runner(s) advance.

1. In the case of a foul ball, it must have a chance to become fair in the umpire’s judgment.

c. hits an infield fly and the infield-fly rule is in effect

Any runner is out when he:

1. runs out of the Base line- runs more than three feet away from a direct line between bases to avoid being tagged or to hinder a fielder while the runner is advancing or returning to a base;
1. This is not an infraction if a fielder attempting to field a batted ball is in the runner’s proper path and if the runner runs behind the fielder to avoid interfering with him.
2. When a play is being made on a runner or batter-runner, he establishes his baseline as directly between his position and the base toward which he is moving.
2. does not legally slide and causes illegal contact and/or illegally alters the actions of a fielder in the immediate act of making a play, or on a force play, does not slide in a direct line between the bases; or
1. A runner may slide in a direction away from the fielder to avoid making contact or altering the play of the fielder.
2. Runners are never required to slide, but if a runner elects to slide, the slide must be legal. Jumping, hurdling, and leaping are all legal attempts to avoid a fielder as long as the fielder is lying on the ground. Diving over a fielder is illegal.

PENALTY: The runner is out. Interference is called and the ball is dead immediately. On a force-play slide with less than two outs, the runner is declared out, as well as the batter-runner. Runners shall return to the bases occupied at the time of the pitch. With two outs, the runner is declared out. The batter is credited with a fielder’s choice.

1. does not legally attempt to avoid a fielder in the immediate act of making a play on him; or dives over a fielder;
3. PENALTY: The runner is out and the ball remains live unless interference occurs and is declared.
4. initiates malicious contact;
1. Malicious contact always supersedes obstruction. Runner(s) will be awarded appropriate base(s) per umpire's judgment.
5. Runner intentionally interferes with a throw or a thrown ball; or he hinders a fielder on his initial attempt to field the kicked ball. If, in the judgment of the umpire, a runner including the batter-runner interferes in any way and prevents a double play anywhere, two shall be declared out (the runner who interfered and the other runner involved). If a retired runner interferes, and in the judgment of the umpire, another runner could have been put out, the umpire shall declare that runner out. If the umpire is uncertain who would have been played on, the runner closest to home shall be called out.
6. is contacted by a fair batted ball before it touches an infielder
1. If a runner is touching his base when he is hit by an infield fly, he is not out, but the batter is out by the infield fly rule. The ball is dead, even in the exception.

2. If a runner is hit by an infield fly when he is not touching his base, both he and the batter are out.

1. If two runners are on the same base, at the same time and both are tagged, the following runner is declared out. On a force play situation, the runner who is forced to advance shall be declared out when tagged on the base or the base to which he is forced is touched by a fielder while in possession of the ball.

7. FOULS

A foul is:

? A swing landing out of bounds. The foul is determined by where the ball lands not how it travels to get there. Remember that if such a swing is caught on the fly it is an out

? A swing landing in bounds but traveling out of bounds on its own before reaching first or third base. (Any ball touched by an in-bounds fielder is automatically in play)

? Any foul that hits a fence, dugout, or other outside object is a dead ball and not eligible to be caught for an out. The ball remains a foul.

? Fouls count as strikes. Three Fouls count as an out.

10. OUTS

An out is:

? a count of three strikes

? a runner touched by the ball at any time while not on base (unless a head shot)

? any batted ball (fair or foul) that is caught before it hits the ground

? a ball tag on a base to which a runner is forced to run

? batting out of order

? a runner leading off the base or stealing

? a count of three outs completes the team’s half of the inning

11. BALL IN PLAY- Once the pitcher has the ball in control and is within 10 feet of the pitching strip, the play ends. Runners who are off base at this time and in forward motion may advance only one base. Runners who are off base at this time and not in forward motion must return to the base from which they were running. The designated pitcher still has the option to leave the circle and throw the ball at the runners advancing to the next base.

CODE OF CONDUCT

ALL PLAYERS AND CAPTAINS SHALL BE GUIDED BY THE FOLLOWING:

1. NO PLAYER OR CAPTAIN shall refuse to abide by an official's decision.

2. NO PLAYER OR CAPTAIN shall be guilty of objectionable demonstrations of dissent at an official’s decision by throwing the ball, or other equipment.

3. NO PLAYER, other than the captain, shall discuss with an official in any manner, the decision reached by the official.

4. NO PLAYER OR CAPTAIN shall be guilty of using unnecessary rough tactics in play of the game against the body and person of an opposing player.

5. NO PLAYER OR CAPTAIN shall at any time lay a hand on, push, shove, strike or threaten to strike an official.

6. NO PLAYER OR CAPTAIN shall be guilty of physical attack as an aggressor upon any player, official, or spectator.

7. NO PLAYER OR CAPTAIN shall be guilty of personal verbal abuse upon any official for any real or imaginary wrong decision or judgment.

PENALTY: Any player or captain ejected during a game will not be eligible to participate in the team's next game. A player or captain who is ejected from two games will be automatically suspended for the remainder of the season. An official can call any game ended at any time, regardless of the score, if unsafe play is exhibited by any team member during the course of the game.

NOTE: JUSTIFICATION IS NOT A POINT OF ARGUMENT CONCERNING CODE OF CONDUCT