Wiffle Ball Rules

Roster

Maximum: 8 players
Minimum: 4 players

Teams should consist of eight players; defensively three fielders, one pitcher, and one catcher. However, they may play with fewer but must have a minimum of four players to start a game.

Due to field limitations and playing time, a maximum of 32 teams will be accepted. First come, first served as timestamped on the registration page.

field dimensions

Due to the nature of the field setup, irregular fields are a part of wiffleball. Home base will be placed in a corner of the Van Andel Soccer Stadium and the pitcher’s mound is 30' directly in front of home plate. First and third base will be 40' measured from home plate, with second base being 60' from home plate to complete the diamond shape.

Length of Game

A game will consist of six innings or be terminated after one hour, whichever occurs first. In any game that is terminated by the end of one hour, the score reverts back to the last completed inning.

If a 15-run difference occurs after three complete innings during a contest and the trailing team has batted through their order once, the game will be stopped and considered a complete game, and the team leading receives the win.

use of equipment

Only IM supplied wiffle balls and bats will be used for gameplay; teams cannot use equipment of their own.
No gloves can be used for catching by defensive players or catchers. Batting gloves may be used only when at bat and must be removed after leaving the field offensively.

Batting

The IM worker will stand close to home plate and will keep the line-up and batting order, keep track of the number of runs for both teams.
There will be no ball or strike count, but the batter gets three pitches. The batter will be out if they hit a foul on the third pitch.
No bunting is allowed.
One-handed batting is not allowed, two hands on the bat through the entirety of the swing.
Batters must have both feet in the batter’s box through the conclusion of the pitch.
Home runs are considered beyond the 86' mark from home base, or determined by mutual agreement of team captains. There is no limit to home runs. Teams who hit the home runs are asked to retrieve the ball so they are not lost.
A batter may be ejected from the game and an out charged to their team if they let the bat slip and fly from their hands more than once or throws the bat intentionally.
All players on the roster will bat in the sign-up order, whether they are in the field or not. Teams cannot bat through the line-up more than once per inning. However, if one team has more players than the other, the team with fewer players can bat an equal number of times each inning as the team with more players, but must stay in their sign-up order.

RUNNERS AND BASES

The captains of the two teams will call safe or out.
Runners cannot steal base. The runner cannot leave base until the ball is hit by the batter.
Sliding is allowed at all bases.
When a runner is hit by a batted ball while advancing bases, the runner is out.
Force outs exist at all bases for the entirety of the game, except for home plate.
At home plate, a catcher must field a throwout of the base path and tag a runner without blocking the plate. If a catcher blocks the plate, the runner is safe and scores.

PITCHING

A pitcher always pitches to the opposing team. Each batter gets three pitches to hit one. If a third pitch is needed and they foul it, miss it, take it, fly out or are thrown out, they are out.
The ball must be delivered at a moderate speed underhand below the hip with a perceptible arch (from the time it leaves the pitcher's hand) of at least six feet, before the ball reaches home plate. The pitch must go above the batter’s head at some point during the pitch.
The pitcher shall take a position with a foot firmly on the ground and in contact with, but not off the side of, the pitcher’s plate.

OUTFIELD

Substitutions and re-entries on defense are both allowed.
A foul ball that goes in the air above the batter’s head and is caught by an opponent before it hits the ground is considered an out. A line drive caught in foul territory by a fielder other than the catcher, prior to its hitting the ground, is an out whether or not it has gone above the batter’s head.

Participation Rules

No metal cleats or spikes on shoes. We will allow rubber treads or spikes, or plastic spikes.

Sportsmanship Rules

One no-show will put your team on probation. Once on probation, either one additional no-show or one forfeit will remove your team from competition.
Additional players may be added up to game time on the day of your scheduled event using the roster addition form. Email intramurals@hope.edu with questions.