Quick Rules:
Game Management
-6 Players is considered a full team. Teams can play a legal game with as few as 3 players, but any team with less than 6 must play shorthanded in the field. If a team has more than 6 players, everybody bats and non-pitcher fielders may sub in and out of the field at any time. Most weeks teams play a 2 1/2 hour doubleheader.
-6 Inning games, 3 outs per inning. 4 balls is a walk, 3 strikes is a strikeout. No limit to the number of foul balls with 2 strikes. First base is not awarded on a hit by pitch.
-In the regular season, up to 2 extra innings are played if necessary. If no winner has been determined after 8 innings of play, the game is declared a tie. In the playoffs, games continue until there is a winner. Extra innings start with the bases empty.
-Mercy is 15 runs after 3 innings, or 10 runs after 4 or 5 innings. There is also a "21 rule." If either team has 21 runs at the end of 4 or 5 innings, the game is over unless the score is tied. If the visiting team reaches the number of runs needed for mercy or 21, the full inning is still completed.
-A player must compete in at least 7 regular season games in order to be playoff eligible.
The At-Bat
-Balls and strikes are determined by a strike zone placed behind home plate. A pitch that just barely "ticks" the strike zone is still a strike. If a batter blocks the zone, leans into a pitch, or attempts to catch a pitch, a strike may be awarded for batter interference.
-If a batter who has 2 strikes foul tips the ball into the strike zone, it counts as a strikeout.
-The speed limit from the standard mound is 60 MPH while the speed limit from the lob mound is 35 MPH. On an overspeed pitch, any favorable result for the batting team is allowed to stand while any unfavorable result is changed to a no-pitch.
-It is illegal to intentionally distract the opponent with any sounds or gestures (applies to both the hitting and fielding team)
-No leading off of bases except when attempting a steal. If a runner is off base when the batter makes contact (except for a steal attempt, more on that below), they are immediately ruled out.
Equipment
-Legal bats are the Locobat, GTSOH Bat, Blitzball Bat, Easton Pro Stix, Louisville Slugger C271 Replica, and the traditional WIFFLE Bat. Any other type of bat is illegal.
-Fielders must play barehanded.
-Players may wear rubber spikes, but metal spikes and studded spikes are banned for safety reasons.
Ball in play
-There is a foul arc 20 feet from home plate that the ball needs to clear in order to be fair. The foul arc uses the same rules as the other two foul lines.
-There is an orange safety base on the foul side of first base for the runner to run through. Batters and fielders must use the correct base on plays at first in order to avoid collisions. If there is no play at first, the batter may use the white base to make the turn.
-Runners may legally tag up as soon as a fielder touches the ball. They don't have to wait for the completed catch if there is a bobble or ricochet.
-If a ball is thrown out of play, runners are awarded the base they were headed to, plus one more, based on their position at the time of the throw.
-Fielders may intentionally throw the ball at runners to "plug" them out. No headshots, if a player in a normal running position is plugged in the head or neck, they are not out. A runner plugged in the head while ducking or sliding is still out. When a runner is plugged for an out, play is dead. If the runner is safe, play remains live.
-Fielders may throw the ball at the strike zone to retire the runner on a play at the plate. If done successfully for an out, play is dead. Once a runner passes the white line halfway between 3rd base and home plate, they are committed to running home.
-Once a fielder has the ball in the pitcher's circle and stays there, play is dead. Runners who were already advancing may continue to advance to the base they were headed to but must stop at that base. If the fielder runs or throws the ball out of the circle, play remains live.
-There is no infield fly rule. Fielders may intentionally drop the ball to attempt a double play.
Stealing
-Each team is limited to 3 steal attempts per game. No stealing home, only 2nd or 3rd. A runner can attempt to steal by running toward the next base when the pitcher starts their windup.
-If the pitch hits the strike zone, the runner is out.
-If the pitch misses the strike zone, the runner is safe
-If the batter hits a foul ball, the runner returns to their spot on base and the attempt is restored (this is the only situation where an attempt is restored)
-If the ball is put in play, the attempt is used and play continues as normal
-Double stealing is allowed if the team has 2 attempts to use. On a double steal, only the lead runner risks being thrown out.
-When a steal is on, the pitcher must throw home if they have already started their windup. A balk results in a sucessful steal. If the runner begins their attempt before the pitcher has started their windup, the pitcher may simply step off the rubber without starting their windup and it is a caught stealing. (There is no penalty for a balk in any other scenario as long as the pitcher gives the batter time to reset)
Pitching limits
-A pitcher can only pitch in both games of a doubleheader if they first enter in the 3rd inning or later in both games.
-Additionally, all pitchers are limited to 6 innings (18 outs) per doubleheader. If a game goes to extra innings, a starter who has thrown a complete game up to that point must be replaced.
-Pitchers may switch which mound they are using only once per appearance and not in the middle of an at-bat, no switching back and forth.
-Pitchers are allowed one re-entry per game but must sit out for at least 6 plate appearances before re-entering.
-There is a 3 batter minimum, just like in the major leagues.
-For a 3 game playoff series, Games 1 and 2 are treated as a regular doubleheader. In Game 3, pitchers are limited to either 3 innings (9 outs) or 6 innings for the entire series, whichever provides for more Game 3 eligibility. If Game 3 goes to extra innings, all limits are off and anyone can pitch (the one re-entry limit still applies).
