Kickball 2020 Rules

Kickball Rules

**Reminder: NO ALCOHOL at Public Parks! We understand that The League was established to bring back the true meaning of social sports to Lexington where others had failed in the past. But please wait until afterward at our Sponsor Brewery/Bar/Restaurant! **

LEAGUE FEATURES + TEAM

  • Suggested 10 on each team
  • At least 4 of each gender required to be in play
  • 10 in the Field, Entire team bats
  • Must be 21 years of age or older
  • ONLY 1 BUNT PER INNING (no gender requirement - additional bunts counted as strikes)
  • No restrictions on pitching
  • Cleats are recommended! 
  • NO INFIELD FLY RULE

PLAYING FIELD

  • The kickball diamond is a square with equal sides of 60 feet or about 20 paces with a base at each corner
    • The distance between Home Plate + 2nd and 1st and 3rd should be approximately 28 paces
  • The pitching strip is in the center of the diamond at about 14 paces from Home Plate (42 feet)
  • The Kicking box is a rectangle with the front of the box aligned with the front of Home Plate
    • The Kicker is not required to start in the kicking box however the kick must occur within this box
  • Strike Zone: 
    • Batting Player’s Knee 
    • 1 foot to the Left and Right of the plate
  • An Optional Extra Base may be provided adjacent to the First Base to provide extra room for the runner

 

PRE-GAME

  • Prior to the start of each game, each team will send up a representative to engage in Rock, Paper, Scissors
  • The winning representative/team can choose to be either the Home Team (Field First, Bat Last) or the Visiting team (Bat First, Field Last)

 

GAME PLAY

    • Each game will be played for a full 50-minutes or 7 full innings with the Home Team batting last
      • No slaughter-rule
    • In the event of a tie sore at the end of the game; the game shall be marked as a tie
    • Pitching
      • Balls must be pitched by hand
      • No runners may advance to the next base once the Pitcher regains possession of the kickball
      • Pitchers must have at least one foot on the pitching stripe and be within the pitching mound until the ball is kicked, may not encroach
    • Catcher
      • Catcher must be positioned within or directly behind the kicking box and behind Home Plate
      • The catcher may not contact the kicker nor position so closely to the kicker as to restrict the kicking motion
      • You may not switch catcher mid-inning
    • Fielders must stay behind the invisible line (between 1st and 3rd) until the Kicker has contacted the ball
    • Strikes
      • A Count of 3 strikes is an out
      • A pitch that is not kicked and is not called a ball is a Strike (must be in previously stated strike zone)
      • An attempted kick missed by the kicker inside or outside of the strike zone

 

  • A “Double Kick” = Foul Ball
  • If this occurs on the “first strike” it is considered a strike
  • If this occurs on the “second strike” it is considered a strike
  • A 3rd consecutive FOUL BALL with TWO STRIKES = OUT

 

    • Balls
      • A Count of 4 balls advances the kicker to first base
      • A ball is:
        • A pitch outside of the strike zone as judged by the Referee where a kick is not attempted
        • A pitched ball that does not touch the ground at least twice or roll before reaching the kicking box
        • A pitched ball that is higher than Batting Player’s Knee at the plate
    • Foul Balls
      • Any ball that falls or will fall outside the lines extending from home plate past first and third base
      • Any ball that starts to roll fair, but then rolls outside of the base line, prior to the base
      • Any ball that is not caught counts as a strike against the kicker 

 

  • EXCEPTION: On your “Third Strike” you have a 3-Foul Bank (as stated above)
  • EXCEPTION: BUNT that rolls foul on your “Third Strike” is an OUT
  • Dead Ball
  • If incoming balls unintentionally makes contact with Kicker – that ball should be called as is: Ball or Strike
  • Official will blow the play dead
  • Double Kick
  • Play is blown Dead
  • Considered a Foul Ball

 

  • Outs
    • A count of 3 outs by a team completes the teams half of the inning
    • An out occurs when:
      • A count of three (3) strikes
      • Any kicked ball (fair or foul) that is caught by a fielder. 
        • Any part of the ball may incidentally touch the ground during the act of catching and still be ruled an out if the fielder first displays full control of the ball and maintains control after touching the ground
      • A Force Out, being the tag by any part of a fielder’s body of a base to which a runner is forced to run, before the runner arrives at the base, while the fielder has control of the ball. The ball may be touching the ground if the fielder displays full control of the ball while simultaneously tagging the base
      • A runner touched by the ball or who touches the ball at any time while not on base while the ball is in play
      • A kicker or runner that interferes with the ball
      • A tag of a base by any part of a fielder’s body, while the fielder has control of the ball, before the runner originating at that base can tag-up as required due to a caught ball
      • A runner off base when the ball is kicked
      • A runner physically assisted by a team member during play
      • Any kicker that does not kick in the proper kicking line up
      • A runner that passes another runner
      • A runner outside of the baseline
        • As judged by the Official
      • A runner who misses a base
        • As called by the Official upon the conclusion of the play
      • A runner who fails to properly tag up on a caught ball, as called by a Referee upon the conclusion of the play
      • A runner touched by the ball while on a base they are forced to vacate by the kicker becoming a runner

 

KICKING + BUNTING

    • All kicks must be made by foot or leg below hip level
    • All Kicks must occur:
      • At or behind home plate
      • Within the kicking box, must have a portion of the plant foot within the kicking box during the kick
    • Teams/Players must kick in the exact order defined at the beginning of the game
    • A "Kick" or a "Bunt" that pops into the AIR is always playable and therefore may be caught, anywhere, for an out

 

  • If the ball immediately pops into the air, does not touch the ground, but does not “go past the invisible line between 1st and 3rd – this is a playable KICK; NOT A BUNT.
  • A "Bunt" is defined as a ball that does not roll past the diagonal invisible line between 1st and 3rd
  • This is at the Defense’ discretion whether to PLAY or RISK
  • Ball must stop on its own prior to crossing that invisible line to officially be ruled a BUNT
  • Official has the right to stop the clock to judge
  • Runners are allowed to advance to the next base they were headed
  • If a player "bunts" out of the allotted 1-bunt per inning it is ruled as a strike; even if it rolls foul
  • A bunt that rolls foul, on Kicker’s “Third Strike” is considered an OUT

 

 

RUNING AND SCORING

    • Runners must stay within the baseline, any runners outside the baseline, deemed by Official, will be out
      • Runners may choose their path from one base to the next; creating a natural arc
      • Runners are free to change course, within the Officials judgement, to avoid interference with fielder or avoid getting hit by ball
    • Obstruction:
      • Fielders may be within the baseline when doing so is necessary to make an active play on the ball, but otherwise, must stay out of the baseline
      • Fielders must make a proactive move to get out of the way of the runner if not making a play on the ball
      • Runners hindered by any fielder within the baseline, not making an active play for the ball, shall be safe at the base to which they were running
    • NO Lead offs or Stealing bases
    • Hitting a runner’s neck or head with the ball is not allowed; except when sliding
      • Any runner hit in the neck or head shall be considered safe at the base they were running toward a base

 

  • Any runner hit in the neck or head, while sliding, will be considered OUT.

 

  • Tag Up
    • A tag up is a requirement to retouch or stay on a base until kicked then caught ball is first touched by a fielder. After a tag-up a runner may advance
  • All ties will go to the runner
  • Running past another runner will result in an OUT
  • A run scores when a runner touches home plate before the third out is made
    • EXCEPTION: No run can score when the third out is made during a force play

 

PLAY-OFFS

  • In the event of a TIE during Play-Offs the Visiting Team will proceed to Kick the next inning 
    • You must Re-Set your original Batting Order
    • Automatically place a runner on 1st base and a runner on 2nd base
    • These runners must be one of each gender (i.e. 1 Female, 1 Male). Skip over their places in the Batting Order with no outs.
      • Home Team always has the opportunity to Kick; play extra innings until a team has successfully scored more than the opposing

OFFICIALS

  • All Officials and Referees shall be trained and credentialed by The League
  • There will be at the least 1 Official per game
  • The official’s duties shall include (but not limited to):
    • Keeping Time
    • Keeping Score
    • Calling Strikes, Balls, and Outs