S3 Boston – Official Kickball Rules

1. 10 total players will play on the field at a time: 5 Girls and 5 Guys. If one team is short 5 girls at the beginning of the game, both teams are allowed up to 6 guys in the field for that game. There are no rules on who can play each position. You must have a pitcher and a catcher. You must only have 6 players in the infield (see rule #11).

2. All active players will be put into the kicking order. If you will be playing in the field even for 1 inning, you will be kicking all game. You can change fielding positions all you would like, but once the game starts, the kicking order may not be altered for any reason. The kicking order is at the discretion of the team, but must be listed as guy, girl, guy, girl, etc, including bottom to top of the lineup. If you don’t have an equal number of players for each gender, once the last guy/girl in the roster has kicked, the next guy/girl up is the person at the top of your list of that gender and you go through them again.

3. There are 6 ways to get out: 1) striking out, 2) fouling out, 3) the runner getting tagged by the ball, 4) the runner being hit by the ball (below the head!) while going between bases (even if you’re tagged and the ball is dropped), 5) a fly ball caught by the defense.

4. Once the ball is controlled by an infielder time will be called play is over, no runners may advance. If a runner is advancing, infield players may hold the ball, or get the ball to the pitcher so time is called and runners must stop.

5. We enforce an “Infield Fly Rule” only if a double play is turned on a dropped ball that flew up in the infield with an arc of 15-20+ feet. This will rarely be called, but if it is, it will be called after the play has ended. This is simply to prevent players from trying to pull a fast one and intentionally dropping easy fly balls to turn a double play. Just play with integrity on this please. It is entirely the umps judgment call when to enforce this rule.

6. To prevent collisions, you may overrun the base by a few steps. There will also be two bases on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd – one for the runner, and one for the fielder. The runner’s base is the right base. If you accidentally run to the incorrect base you will be given a warning. You must stay on the base until the ball is kicked. If the runner leaves before this time, that player is out and the ball re-thrown. If that was the third out of the inning, the person who was up when this happened is still up first the next inning. There are no lead-offs. If you lead off you will be called out. You may leave the base as soon as the ball is hit. You may tag up on foul balls that are caught.

7. The pitcher and fielders must stay behind the pitcher’s mound until the ball has been kicked. Kickers and catchers may not cross home plate until the ball has been kicked. Kickers must therefore kick the ball from behind home plate.

8. 3 strikes/fouls and you’re out. There are no walks. You can foul out.

9. Bunting is not allowed! You must fully follow through when kicking the ball or it will be called a strike.

10. If you throw a ball and hit a runner in the head, that runner will be called safe. You better not be aiming for people’s heads, but if you hit someone there you will get a warning. Multiple throws at players’ heads and the ump will eject you from the game.

11. The kickball “strike zone” includes the area 1 foot to the right and left of home plate and has very minimal bounce. Balls that bounce too high will be declared an illegal pitch and must be pitched again. Pitchers must roll the ball (not bounce!) to the kicker. If the ball falls outside these parameters, it will be deemed a ball/redo since there are no walks.

12. Strikes, Balls, Fouls, Outs, Bunts: Pitch, bunts and safe/out calls are up to the sole discretion of the game umpire.

13. Outfielders must remain several feet past the dirt, or marked “outfield” area until the ball has been kicked. If an outfielder crosses into the infield before this time, the kicker may be given first base. Only 6 players may be in the infield area, and must stay behind the pitcher, until a ball is kicked.

14. On an overthrow to first or third base, time will be called and runners will advance 1 base. Overthrows to second base are considered live balls and do not apply to the overthrow rule.

15. Games are 7 innings or 55 minutes from game start time, but no inning will begin with less than 10 minutes remaining. If your game starts late due to your team arriving late, you will lose playing time.

17. Ties are allowed if no time remains, but we’ll do everything in our power to break the tie. We have a good way to do this in an extra inning if there’s time. If 2 teams tie, there’s always playoffs redemption!

18. A game is considered a complete game if 4 full innings have been completed. If a game is rained out and 4 full innings have been played, the game may be declared official and the score counted as complete. We’ll do our best to try to make up the game but we have limited field time for the season.

19. There is a 10 run slaughter rule for innings 1-6, unless one of those innings is declared the final inning of the game. No team may score more then 10 runs in one inning unless it is the final inning of the game.

20. SAFETY IS IMPORTANT. There is a STRICT NO CONTACT RULE in effect that BOTH teams must be aware of. Runners must do everything they can to avoid contact, but fielders also must be aware of where they are positioned in relation to the runners and do everything in their power to avoid contact as well. FIELDERS, DO NOT BLOCK THE BASES. If you block the base or impede the runner from getting to the base, interference may be called and the runner called safe. If you take your last few steps while running home to go around a baseman that’s blocking the base so you don’t plow them over, we’ll likely call you safe. The ump will make the call as to who’s at fault with the contact and make the appropriate call as to whether it is safe or out. Situations that arise from contact may warrant a playing being ejected from the game at the ump’s discretion. It is the umpire’s judgment call as to what the call will be. Just remember that this is a fun league and we’re here to just have fun, so avoid contact AT ALL COSTS.

21. Your team forfeits if by 10 minutes after scheduled game start time, you do not have at least 7 players, including at least 2 of each gender. We always want to play games rather than forfeit because that’s just more fun, so the ump may decide to give a team a little additional time to get enough players so we can play a game. You can play with as many girls as you’d like in the field. If you need to have a 6th guy play in the field if you are short girls, this 6th player will be catcher but is not allowed to take plays at home, only throw the ball back to the pitcher. The score of a forfeit game will be 10-0. Tell your team as soon as you know if you can’t make a game!

Those are the rules! Just remember to play fair, have fun, and be safe!