Kickball

General Information

  1. Teams: Players may play on ONE team per league. Players can play in as many leagues as they choose, but, may only play for one team in each respective league.
  2. Playoffs: Each team will qualify for the single elimination playoff bracket UNLESS a team forfeits multiple games during the regular season game.

Personal Conduct

  1. Players: Under no circumstances may players harass, threaten, intimidate, or physically engage in confrontation with umpires and/or field supervisors. Players who violate this policy will face ejection from the game, league, and all other intramural sports as determined by the Sport Administrator.
  2. Coaches and Spectators: Coaches and spectators will be held to the same standard as intramural competitors. Teams with unruly coaches and spectators risk forfeiture and other penalties as determined by the Sport Administrator.
  3. Ejections: Any player, coach, or spectator ejected from a competition will automatically be suspended from participating in the next scheduled competition. That individual will remain ineligible until meeting with the Sport Administrator to determine additional suspension and/or penalty.
  4. Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in all University recreational areas. Violation of this MSU policy will be forwarded to the MSU Police Department.

The Game

  1. Prior to the start of each competition, each team member must be identified on the team roster. If a team member is not on the roster prior to the start of the competition, he/she will not be eligible to participate.
  2. Eleven players make up a full team; eight players must be present to start the game.
  3. The 3-ball, 2-strike count will be used in all games.
  4. Each game will consist of five complete innings unless the time limit has been reached or the mercy rule is in effect.
    1. Time limit: A time limit of 60 minutes is set to complete each game. No new inning can begin once the time limit has been reached.
    2. Mercy rule: A mercy rule of 15 runs is in effect after three full innings of play. Should both teams agree, the game may be continued “just for fun” until the time limit is reached. The final score will be recorded as it was when the mercy rule went into effect.
    3. Tie game: if the game is tied after five innings, the game may continue until the time limit is reached. If the game is still tied when the time limit is reached, the game will remain a tie.

Equipment

  1. Gym shoes, soft-soled shoes, or molded plastic cleats may be worn during competition. Metal spikes are strictly prohibited. All players must wear close toed shoes.
  2. Regulation kickballs will be provided by the Rec Sports department.
  3. Jewelry should not be worn during competition. The Rec Sports department is not responsible for any breakage, loss, or injury that occurs as the result of wearing jewelry during competition.

Pitching

  1. The pitcher must present the ball in front of his/her body.
  2. The pitcher may hold the ball in any manner before delivery.
  3. The pitcher may only deliver the pitch with a definite underhand motion.
  4. The pitcher must face home plate before and during delivery of the pitch.
  5. The ball must be pitched at a slow speed.
  6. The pitched ball must roll so that it passes any part of home plate.
  7. The pitched ball shall not bounce higher than knee height.
    1. The speed and bounce height of the pitched ball are left entirely to the judgment of the umpire. Any doubtful pitch should be ruled as an unfairly delivered pitch.
    2. The pitcher must engage the pitching rubber with one or two feet planted firmly on the ground.
    3. The pitcher must come to a complete set position prior to beginning his/her wind up.

Balls and Strikes

  1. 2 strikes constitute an out.
    1. any pitch that is not kicked and rolls across any part of home plate is a strike.
    2. any attempted kick missed by the kicker is a strike.
    3. a kicker may only kick two foul balls per at bat. The third foul ball results in a strikeout.
  2. 3 balls consitute a base on balls.
    1. any pitch that is not kicked and does not roll across any part of home plate is a ball.
    2. any pitch that does not bounce at least twice before reaching home plate is a ball.
    3. any pitch that bounces higher than knee height is a ball.
    4. any pitch that is higher than 12 inches off the ground when it crosses home plate is a ball.

Kicking

The strike zone is any space immediately over home plate between the ground and the lowest knee when the kicker assumes his/her natural kicking stance.

  1. Bunting and/or chopping the ball downward is allowed.
  2. All kicks must be made by the foot or leg, below the knee. Any ball touched by the foot or leg below the knee is a kick.
  3. All kicks must occur:
    1. At or behind home plate. The kicker may step on home plate to kick, however, no part of the plant foot may be in front of or cross the front edge of home plate.
    2. Within the kicking box.

Fielding and Baserunning

  1. Ground rules for each field will be explained by the head umpire or field supervisor prior to the start of each game.
  2. The catcher should position himself/herself at a safe distance behind home plate as to not make contact with the kicker during the process of the kick. The umpire reserves the right to ensure safety by asking the catcher to move farther away from home plate.
  3. Baserunners may not attempt to steal a base. Baserunners may leave the base at his/her own risk when the ball crosses home plate and must return to the base after each pitch if the ball is not put into play.
  4. Baserunners may not interfere with defensive players that are involved with making a play on the ball, regardless of whether the defensive player is located in the base line.
  5. Defensive players who are not involved in making a play on the ball may not obstruct baserunners that are legally running from base to base regardless of whether the runner appears to be out of the base line.
  6. Baserunners may not make contact with defensive players with significant force in an attempt to dislodge the ball. If this occurs, the baserunner will be declared out and will be ejected from the game immediately.
  7. Baserunners may slide or try to avoid contact on plays involving defensive players.
  8. Baserunners will be declared out when struck by a kicked ball, a ball tag, and/or a force out.
  9. Baserunners who leave base must tag-up after a kicked ball is caught in the air.
  10. Baserunners are only permitted to advance one base on an overthrow.

Substitutions

  1. Standard substitution: teams must list the players that will kick and play defense on the score sheet. The starting players may be taken out of the game one time and may re-enter the game one time. Teams can make changes during innings and between innings if they choose to do so. Pinch kickers and runners are allowed.
  2. Unlimited substitution: teams must list all players that will kick and play defense on the score sheet. This number may exceed 11 players. However, only 11 players may play defense at a time. Every player listed on the score sheet must kick. Players may go in and come out of the game as many times as they choose, but, teams can only make defensive changes between innings. Pinch kickers and runners are not allowed.
  3. Teams must announce their substitution method to the umpire prior to the start of the game. Each team can choose either the standard substitution or unlimited substitution method. Once the choice has been made, a team must abide by the respective rules.

Activity Rules