The Official Rules of the Wiffle Ball Bonanza Written by: Zachary Freeman (Director) & Trusted Friends 07/09/2013 Modified: 06/30/2015 *Throughout this set of rules the WIFFLE® Ball Bonanza will be referenced as the WBB 1 Section 1: The Basics 1) The WBB is a double elimination, one-day tournament. 2) Each team must consist of eight (8) to twelve (12) players. 3) Teams that are not registered beforehand will be formed by the “Luck of the Draw” – player draft. 4) Teams that are formed by “Luck of the Draw” must submit an appropriate team name before the opening ceremonies take place. 5) Once all teams are formed, the names of each team will be placed appropriately on the tournament bracket. Playing spots are determined the night before the tournament. Drafted teams are not required to play in first round/play-in games. Section 2: Starting the Game 1) Each team will select one (1) Captain to represent his/her team. 2) Batting line-ups must consist of at least five (5) players; remaining players must be listed on the roster/bench/depth-chart. Bench players are permitted to pinch-hit, but must stay in the line-up for the player he/or she substituted for. Line-ups will be submitted to the official scorekeeper before the coin toss. 3) Bench players are permitted to play the field at any time during the game. 4) A coin toss will determine the home and away teams. The older of the two captains will make the call in the air. 5) Once home and away teams are determined, play can begin. 6) Each game is three (3) innings. 7) Extra innings: one (1) normal extra inning will take place if a game is tied after three (3) innings of play. If a winner is not determined after four (4) innings, the 5th inning will start with one (1) out and bases loaded. If a winner is not determined after five (5) innings of play, a timed, human-wheelbarrow race will determine a winner of the game. Section 3: Defensive Alignment 1) Only five (5) defensive players are permitted to take the field, one (1) pitcher and four (4) additional defenders. 2) The four (4) additional defenders can align themselves wherever they would like on the field. Section 4: Balls and Strikes (the Count), the K- Zone, and Outs 1) For pace-of-play purposes, each batter will start his/her at bat with one (1) strike against him/her. 2) Balls and Strikes are determined by the K-Zone (22 X 24 piece of sheet metal directly behind home plate). If a pitch hits the K-Zone’s sheet metal, it is a strike. 2 3) If a batter has two (2) strikes against him/her and foul tips a ball into the K-Zone, a strikeout is recorded for the pitcher and the batter is out. 4) Four (4) balls equal a walk. 5) If a pitch hits the batter, the pitch is recorded as a ball. 6) There are three (3) outs per half inning 7) A PLAYER CAUGHT LEANING INTO THE STRIKE ZONE WILL HAVE A STRIKE CALLED AGAINST HIM/HER, NO WARNINGS. Section 5: Pitching (Games Pitched) 1) A player cannot pitch in three (3) consecutive games. For instance if a player starts in two (2) consecutive games, or enters as a reliever in both of those games, he/she is not permitted to pitch in his/her team’s next game. Section 6: Pace of Play * Due to a large number of teams and limited time, steps must be taken to increase pace of play. 1) Only six (6) runs can be scored per each team’s at bats during an inning. 2) Teams can score additional runs by ending their at bats with a home run. For example, if a team has already scored five (5) runs and the batter hits a home run with two (2) runners on base, the team would be awarded seven (7) runs for that inning. 3) The ten (10) runs after two (2) full innings of play rule is in effect when a team is down by ten (10) or more runs after two (2) full innings of play. This rule is similar to Little League Baseball’s ten (10) runs after four (4) innings of play rule. The game will end immediately after the 2nd inning if a team is trailing by ten (10) or more runs at the time. Section 7: Pitcher’s Mound Poison 1) The pitcher’s mound serves only as a force out at 1st base. Balls fielded by defenders can be returned to the pitcher (with his/her foot on the pitching rubber) before the batter reaches 1st base to record an out. 2) Fielders can also use the pitcher’s mound to record an out at first base (i.e. 2nd baseman fields ball cleanly and touches the pitcher’s mound before batter reaches 1st base). 3) If a fly ball is returned to the pitcher’s mound before a player tags up at 1st base, pitcher’s mound poison is in effect and both the batter and runner will be ruled out. 4) A player must have his/her foot on the pitching rubber for pitcher’s mound poison to apply. In addition, maintaining control of the ball while in and touching the ball directly to the rubber will be recorded as an out. Using other extremities, such as the other hand, elbow or leg, will not count as an out. 3 Section 8: Recording an out with the K-Zone at Home 1) The K-Zone, in addition to determining balls and strikes, can also be used to record an out at home. If a ball is fielded, and the runner who started the play at 3rd base has left the bag with the intent to score (momentum is taking him/her towards home plate), the ball can be thrown at the K-Zone to record an out at home. Once the ball hits the K-Zone, the play is dead and runners cannot advance. If the ball misses the K-Zone, play continues. 2) This rule applies to runners who are tagging up from 3rd base. It also applies to a bases loaded situation…if the K-Zone is hit before the runner on 3rd reaches home in a bases loaded situation, the runner on third will be recorded out and PLAY WILL STOP. 3) If the pitcher/defender records the force-out using “Pitcher’s Mound Poison” with bases loaded, the runner at third can advance at his/her own risk. If the runner commits to home and the ball is thrown off the K-Zone before the runner reaches the plate, he or she will be called out. Section 9: The Peg Rule 1) The Peg Rule (hitting a runner with the ball at a reasonable speed to record an out) is always in effect. The only exception is for batters trying to advance from home to 1st base. Runners in between first and home cannot be pegged; however, they can be tagged. 2) Hitting a runner above the shoulders (neck and head area) will automatically award the runner the base he/she was running towards. *If a player is sliding, this rule does not apply. Section 10: Double Plays 1) Double plays are hard to come by in the WBB; however, they are possible. Players must remember that pitcher’s mound poison only acts as a force out at 1st base. Therefore, once an out is recorded using pitcher’s mound poison, force-outs do not apply other bags and all other base runners must be pegged/tagged. The K-Zone can also be used to record an out at home (Sec. 8 Rule 1). Section 11: Bunting 1) Bunting is only allowed to advance a runner(s). The batter is automatically out and runners can advance at their own risk. Section 12: Leading off/Stealing/Sliding 1) There is no leading off or stealing in the WBB. A base runner can leave the base once the batter has made contact with the ball. Warnings will be issued to those caught leading off. 4 If those warnings are not abided by, an out will be issued to the base runner(s) committing the act. 2) All forms of sliding are permitted in the WBB. Section 13: Base Running/Interference 1) The most common incidence of interference occurs when a member of the offensive team physically hinders the defensive team, decreasing its chances to make an out or increasing the chance that a base runner will advance. Whenever this offensive interference occurs, the ball becomes dead. If a batter or base runner committed the interference, that player is called out and all other runners must return to the bases they occupied at the time of the interference. All interference calls are made and ruled by the umpire(s). 2) If a batted ball directly hits a base runner between bases, the runner is ruled out, the play is dead, and the batter is awarded a base hit. 3) A base runner(s) must stay within a reasonable line of the base pad if a defender is trying to record the said runner(s) out (umpire’s judgment). An out will be issued to the runner exceeding a reasonable distance (i.e. 4 feet wide). Section 14: Equipment 1) All batters must use the official bat of the WBB: Louisville Slugger, Black, Authentic Replica of the Genuine C271 Big League Pro Stock Bat.