Wiffleball Tournament 

This rules sheet is not meant to be all-inclusive; rather it is a summary of the more common rules, policies, and procedures used by the Intramural Sports Program. Important policy information can be found in the Intramural Sports Handbook. All team captains and players are responsible for reading this document and understanding the rules, policies, and procedures prior to participating in this activity. 

General/Eligibility 
 See the Intramural Sports Handbook  for complete listing of eligibility.
 
Intramural Team Participation - Individuals may only play on one team in the Wiffleball tournament. Teams may only have up to 2 club baseball/softball players on their roster.
 
Identification - All players MUST present a UVM Cat Card to the IMS Supervisor prior to each game. Players who do not have their Cat Card will be subject to the terms of the Campus Recreation ID Policy.
 
Team Rosters - The official team roster consists only of those individuals who are eligible and who have signed the official online IMLeagues roster/waiver. Individuals must be listed on the official online IMLeagues roster, the Friday before the start of the tournament. Confirming that all players are listed on the official online IMLeagues roster is the responsibility of the Team Captain.
 
Communication with IMS Staff - All players are permitted to speak with officials and/or IMS staff regarding rule enforcements or to ask a clarifying question. Judgement calls will not be up for debate. These interactions must be respectful and should come in the form of a question. Disrespectful statements, continual badgering, or boisterous gestures may be considered un-sportsmanlike conduct and could result in a warning or ejection. Team captains are encouraged to demonstrate positive sportsmanship and be leaders of the team. All protest must come from the team captain or the acting captain of that contest. 
 
Players and Substitutions 

  • Line-ups may bat everyone. A minimum number of three (3) individuals required to start a game.
  • Teams may play a maximum of 4 players in the field. (1 pitcher and 3 fielders). The pitcher may not field the ball.
  • This is an OPEN league and teams may include any number of genders on their roster.
  • The batting order will remain the same for each inning unless there is an injury.
  • Each team is responsible for checking in with the supervisor and before each game so they may obtain the line-up.

 
Equipment 

  • Sneakers or other non-marking athletic shoes are permitted.  Cleats that do not have metal studs may also be worn on the athletic turf.  METAL CLEATS, SANDALS, & OPEN TOED SHOES ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Shoes must be worn. If there are any questions concerning footwear, please talk with the supervisor.
  • All jewelry must be removed. This includes, but is not limited to necklaces, earrings, newly pierced earrings, facial piercings, rings, bracelets, and watches. Individuals will not be allowed to tape over any jewelry item. If you cannot remove the item then you CANNOT play.

Other Equipment

  • Wiffleballs and bats will be provided.
    • You may NOT use your own wiffleball or bats.
  • No gloves may be used in the field.

The Game and Game Duration

All games will play 3 innings or go by a time limit of 30 minutes, no new inning will start after 25 minutes, but we will finish any inning that starts prior to that. The games on all fields will start and finish at the same time. If the score is tied at the end of 30 minutes, the game will be a TIE in Pool Play.

  • Teams that intentionally waste time will forfeit their match.


Pitching

  • Pitchers must pitch to at least 1 batter before being swapped out. Once a pitcher is removed, they may not pitch for the remainder of the inning.
  • A legal pitch may have any type of spin or rise to the ball.
  • All pitches must adhere to a standard speed limit. Any pitch deemed to be too fast will result in a warning to the pitcher and a re-pitch to the batter. A second warning will result in removal of that pitcher from that position. (In the case that all other players have pitched once in that game, a team must use their first pitcher for the remainder of the game)
    • If a ball is hit off a “speed” ball, the offense retains the right to take the result of the play or redo the pitch.
  • Defensive positioning is restricted by the following:
    • All fielders must stay behind the pitcher until the ball is hit.

Strike Zone

  • A strike zone will be furnished by the IM Sports Department: Any ball that legally hits any part of the “strike zone ” frame will be a “strike”.
    • The frame includes the metal sheet and pvc poles. A pitch that hits the lower legs of the frame will be considered a "ball".
  • The pitching rubber will be 36ft from home plate.

Batting

  • Batters will receive a the following count. (6 balls = walk ; 3 strikes = out)
    • Hit batters do not take a base, it counts as a ball.
  • Batting order: A team must keep the same batting order for the duration of the game.
  • Bunting results in an OUT.
  • Any ball that is hits into the ceiling or any fixtures coming from the ceiling will be called out.
  • Home Run = any ball that hits the specified boundary (i.e., has not hit the ground, ceiling, or lights before hitting the divider).
    • Teams may only hit 5 home runs per game. Any homerun after that will result in an out.
  • Players should be prepared to run the bases. Fielders must throw to the bases or tag players for them to be considered out.
    • No stealing or sliding into bases. This will result in an automatic out.