- Fair or foul calls over the fence are best seen by players behind home plate.
- Fair or foul calls in the field of play are best determined by players in the vicinity.
- The best view of a force play at first in the pitchers circle is from left-field/short-stop.
- The best view of a force play at second in the pitchers circle is from behind home plate.
- Check swings or plays close enough to bring question should be regarded as a strike or an out, respectively.
2. Teams can be comprised of 3-6 players. Only 4 may play the field while on defense, but all 6 may bat. Less than 3 players will be cause for forfeit.
3. All team members are expected to wear matching color jerseys with player numbers on them for WSEM games as a courtesy to video and photographers.
4. Each team will use official Wiffleball balls. Bats allowed are Easton Pro Stix, Louisville Slugger C271 (Griffey bat), and the official yellow Wiffleball bat. Taping the handles of the bat is allowed, as is painting of the barrel: the hole on the bottom must be left open. No other modifications are acceptable. Any and all bats are subject to being checked for corking and legality before use.
5. To record an out: the batter may strike out, have their hit be caught in the air, be tagged out, be thrown out at a base or in the pitchers circle: ANY player with possession of the ball and at least one foot inside the pitcher’s circle before the runner touches the base is an out. Pegging of the runner with the ball is allowed only from 3rd to home and when trying to advance on a tag up [See rules 7 and 9].
6. Lead runner rule: The force out in the pitcher's circle applies to the lead-runner first. However, if the lead runner beats the throw to the bag, but the trailing runner does not, then the force out applies to the trailing runner. Only 1 out may be recorded in the pitcher's circle per play.
Examples:
- If there are runners on 1st and 2nd base and the ball is fielded and thrown to a player in the pitcher’s circle, the runner running to 3rd is called out.
- If there is a runner on 1st base, the defense can touch 2nd base to have the lead runner be called out and then throw to a player in the pitcher’s circle to have the batter out.
8. There is no “infield fly” rule. This means a fly ball may be intentionally missed to cause a double or triple play.
9. The defense can get runners out between 3rd and home by tagging the runner, pegging the runner, or hitting the strike zone board before the runner crosses home plate.
10. The main rules are similar to baseball with differences as followed:
For the batter:
· There are 2 strikes for an out, and 5 balls for a walk
· If the batter does not swing, and the ball hits anywhere on the strike zone, it is a strike
· If the batter does not swing on the first pitch and the ball hits anywhere on the strike zone, they are OUT
· If the batter is in a 1-strike count and tips the ball into the strike zone, they are OUT; in line with tipping strike 3 into the catcher's glove in baseball.
· 1 handed swings are not allowed, and will be called as a strike.
· Crowding the plate is not allowed; the batter must give the pitcher the inside corner. Blocking the plate or stepping into pitches will result in a called strike, every time.
· No changes to the batting lineup may be made during a game unless a team begins the game with 3 players and their fourth arrives mid-game, or an injury forces a player to leave the game.
· The pitcher may pitch of any style and any speed they choose
· No balking to trick or throw off the batter.
· One foot must be touching or behind the rubber / middle of the pitchers circle.
· No scuffing of the ball will be permitted.
· Only one ball may be in hand while pitching.
· When a pitcher is taken off the mound, they may not return as a pitcher during the game in progress.
· If a pitcher throws 2+ innings, they may not pitch in the following game.
· If a pitcher throws 7+ innings, they may not pitch in the following 2 games.
· The pitchers' mound is 45' from the strike zone.
· The strike zone is 30" tall by 22" wide, 7" off the ground.
· As the ball is hit, you will run to first. If the ball is caught or thrown to a player while they are in the pitchers circle, the runner is out.
· When the defense has possession of the ball in the circle, the runners will treat this as a time out and cannot run.
· When any defender has possession of the ball in the infield they may call for time out, and runners will hold up.
· If a runner is approaching, on, or has just rounded (less than 3 steps), they will hold at that base.
· If a runner is a few steps from the base, they may continue on to the next base.
· This buffer is to be clear whether the runner's foot was on the base or not.
· If the question is about 3 steps, then there is clearly no question the runner was off the base; the runner will be allowed to advance.
· The runner CANNOT lead off. They must wait to leave the base until the ball makes contact with the bat. If a runner does lead off or leaves early, the runner will be ruled out.
· Runners may tag up on caught flies from any base, but may be pegged for an out while trying to advance in this situation.
· The runner must stay on the baseline while running bases and may not interfere with the ball and/or the defense
· On a fly ball that is caught, a runner may only be doubled up by throwing back to the bag before the runner makes it back to the bag. The pitchers circle is NOT a force out when returning to the bag, nor is pegging available.
· Base paths are 45'
· In situations where the ball and runner arrive simultaneously ties are awarded to the fielder.
· No gloves of any kind will be allowed to be worn when on the field. Likewise, use of a hat or other article of clothing to catch the ball is NOT permitted.
· The only balls that will be ruled "Out of Play" are fly balls past the home-run fence, fair or foul. Where there is not a fence, a line will be placed to help with the ruling. Any other ball is "In Play" and may be caught for an out.
· Defenders may call time out while possessing the ball in the infield to stop runners.
· If a runner is approaching, on, or has just rounded (less than 3 steps), they will hold at that base.
· If a runner a few steps from the base, they may continue on to the next base.
· This buffer is to be clear whether the runner's foot was on the base or not.
· If the question is about 3 steps, then there is clearly no question the runner was off the base; the runner will be allowed to advance.
· You may not interfere with the runners. This can result in having all runners being called safe, or advancing runners to the next base.
· On a fly ball that is caught, a runner may only be doubled up by throwing back to the bag before the runner makes it back to the bag. The pitcher's circle is NOT a force out when returning to the bag, nor is pegging available.
· In situations where the ball and runner arrive simultaneously ties are awarded to the fielder.
· Position players may freely sub in and out of the game.
Any ball that lands or stops before reaching 20' in front of home plate is considered a dead ball and is played/ruled as a foul ball would be. There will be a quarter-circle drawn on the field to identify this zone. If any part of the ball touches the line, like foul lines, it is ruled a fair ball.
12. League games are 5 innings with a 15-run mercy rule after the 1st or 2nd inning, and a 10-run mercy rule after the 3rd or 4th inning. There is no time limit. No rule changes will be made in an extra inning game to speed up the result.
13. A player must play seven (7) regular season games in order to be eligible for the playoffs.
14. A team must play 24 games to be eligible for the playoffs. Occasionally forfeits are unavoidable, thus, forfeiture of up to two series is acceptable. Any more than that shows a lack of commitment to your league and the game as a whole; therefore, you forfeit your right to represent the league as a champion of the game.
