Rules

MUSA Milwaukee Kickball Rules

MUSA Kickball Rules
I. Field/Equipment/Misc.

• All games shall be played on softball sized diamonds. Fields with or without home run fences
are acceptable, although no fence is preferable. All games shall be played with an 8.5 inch
ball.
• Metal spikes are not allowed
• Teams must furnish umpires as assigned on the schedule. The umpires word is final and not
to be disputed unless a blatant contradiction to the official rules. MUSA field monitors may
eject players for unsportsmanlike behavior. Any occurrences which are not covered in the
rules shall be settled by the field monitor and noted for later rules updates.
• Players will remember we are all out here for fun.
• Consistent failure to provide umps will jeopardize future league participation.
• Milwaukee Public Schools fields policy is NO ALCOHOL at their fields. Players or teams
failing to comply will surrender that game and potentially future league participation.

II. Number of participants

• Rosters may hold an unlimited number of people.
• A maximum of 11 players can be on the field for the fielding team, with a minimum of 7
players. A catcher is not necessary for teams with less than 9 players.
• Teams must have a minimum of 4 players of each sex. If a team does not have four
females/males for a particular game, a “ghost” player shall be written into the batting order
and represents an automatic out for each female/male under the minimum. A team having 11
players that is missing a required male/female player must play short on the field by the
number of missing players male or female. You must have at least two players of each gender
or forfeit completely (unless opposing team captain allows for subs).
• Teams with fewer than 7 players shall have a 10 minute grace period before a forfeit is
declared. Subs may be used at any time so long as the opposing team is not opposed!!

III. Regulation games

• A regulation game shall consist of 9 innings or a time limit of 55 minutes. If a game starts
late, it shall be played until 5 minutes before the next games starting time.
• The “away” team shall bat first. The “home” team gets last at bats if the time limit is near.
Home and away team is determined by rock, paper, scissors, best two out of three for every
game.
• The field monitor may call a game due to time if an inning may not reasonably be completed
before the 55 minute time limit. .
• A game is considered official once 5 full innings have been completed.
• Regular season games may end in ties. If time permits, field monitors may grant additional
innings if captains agree to play them (ties are points in the standings too, ya know) During
the playoffs, the winner shall be determined by whoever wins the next full inning (Both teams
get at-bats). In playoff situations, each team shall play short one additional fielder for each
inning beyond 9 in boy, girl, boy, girl order. For example, a team in the 12th inning must take
two male players and one female off the field. These players still kick in their respective slot.
• Called games shall be played at a future date agreeable to both team captains at a site to be
agreed upon. Any games not replayed shall be counted as a tie in the standings unless the
league makes other arrangements for a make up game.
• Each team may have base coaches at first and third bases.

IV. Pitching/Fielding

• A legal pitch must be underhand and no higher than knee level of the batter (sidearm or
overhand pitching is not allowed). Anything higher over the plate is a ball. Whether a pitch is
a ball or strike based on bounciness should be based on the height of the last bounce before it
crosses home plate. A pitch must bounce at least three times before crossing the front plane
of home to be a strike.
• Pitches will be thrown in a civil manner at a reasonable rate and not excessively bouncy. A
guideline is pitching as though you are rolling it casually to a teammate. Fast pitch and
curveballs are not allowed. Any pitch deemed by the ump or field monitor to be out of the
context of a casual pitch (fast or with curve) will result in a warning to the pitcher and a called
ball. The next infraction will result in replacing the pitcher. Umps in doubt of as to what is
an allowable pitch should consult the MUSA field monitor on duty for assistance.
• The pitcher must pitch from the back rubber (running up to the rubber is not allowed).
Once the ball is pitched the pitcher may advance no further than the first rubber or 6 feet from
the rubber, depending on the field. Lateral movement is tolerated.
• The catcher must give the batter ample room to bat. The catcher may not break the plane of
the front of home plate until the ball is kicked and may not interfere with the batter. An
infraction will result in a called ball. If the ball is kicked, the result does not count.
• Float versus no float rule: For female kickers, fielders may not encroach past the 1st to 2nd and
2nd to 3rd basepaths until the ball is kicked (no float). For male kickers, fielders may encroach
up to the boundary of the Forbidden Zone, defined as the midpoint from home to 1st and 3rd
baselines (to be marked with cones) and said midpoints to the pitchers mound. The pitcher
may still advance to the first pitching rubber or six feet as previously discussed.
Encroachment in the Forbidden Zone (or past the baseline restriction for female kickers)
results in a no play with called ball.
• A strike consists of a ball that is rolled over any part of home plate and below knee level.
Any ball that is kicked into foul territory shall also be considered a strike. Two strikes of any
kind will result in an out.
• A “ball” shall be called on anything that does not pass home plate. Three called “balls” shall
result in the ball being placed on a tee within two feet from either side of home plate. If the
batter kicks the ball foul off the tee, they are automatically out. Infield players cannot
advance until the ball is kicked. Pitchers who repeatedly pitch for the tee may be replaced at
the discretion of the field monitor.
• The batting team has three outs per inning. An out results due to the following:
-two strikes
-a ball caught on the fly
-base runner is forced out
-base runner is hit with ball while not on base (if runner hit with ball before run
scores in third out situations, run does not score. Runners do not score if last out
is via force out)
-see ghost batter rule above
• As even the most innocent looking pop ups are potential hits in kickball, there is no infield fly
rule. Due to some abuses of this in the past, there will be a “No Cheese” rule for situations
where a fielder is judged to have intentionally allowed the ball to drop to turn a double play.
For example, team A has a runner on first. The batter from team A kicks the ball in the air to
the first baseperson on team B. The runner on team A stays on first, while the batter runs to
first. The first baseperson intentionally (and these are generally obvious) muffs the pop fly,
tags the waiting runner and tags the base. As this is contrary to fair sportsmanship MUSA
promotes, the tactic will be deemed Cheesy and runner and batter are both safe.
• A foul ball that is caught counts as an out, but is a dead play, meaning runners may not
advance. If a ball is touched in fair territory, it is fair, regardless of other factors i.e. foot
placement of the fielder. A foul ball is defined as a ball that settles or is touched on or over
foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base.
• One base on an overthrow. An overthrow constitutes a ball that is thrown or kicked out of
play from within the infield to the intended base or target (past the benchline or fence, based
on field [field monitor will define boundaries]). Anything thrown or kicked from the outfield
is a live ball. If a player is past ½ way to the next base, they are awarded the base they are on
the way to plus one on the overthrow. A ball thrown past the base that remains in the set
boundaries remains a live ball and runners may advance at their own risk.
• Teams may only rotate in a new catcher once per inning. Once that catcher switches with the
initial catcher, he/she must remain there for the remainder of the inning and cannot switch
back.


V. Batting/baserunning

• The batter may not kick the ball until the ball crosses home plate. Kicking the ball
before the plate is a strike. The resulting result of a kick over the plate is a dead ball
(no out on the fly, etc)
• Bunting is allowed. Bunting may not be executed by a team that is up by 10 or
more runs.
• Runners must stay in the base path. Fielders impeding the runners path to the base
shall result in the runner being awarded the base.
• Leading off and stealing are not allowed. Leading off/leaving early will result in a
do-over.
• Sliding is legal. Please do so with caution (keeping fielders and yourself in mind)
• After the catch on a fly ball that is caught, the runner must tag up before advancing
to the next base. Failure to tag up before advancing results in an out if the runner is
tagged or the ball is thrown to the previous base. Fielders who intentionally bobble
the ball to keep the runner on base by not catching the ball will be penalized with a
“no cheese” penalty and the kicker and baserunner will both be safe at the respective
next base.
• Balls throw at the baserunner must be below the shoulders. Any head shot incurred
while the runner is in a upright running position results in advancement to the next
base. Any intentional hitting of the ball with the head by a runner will result in an
out. A head shot results in a dead ball, meaning runners may no longer advance
unless more than half way to the next base which they are then awarded.
• If a ball hits the kicker in fair territory after being struck, the batter is out.
Intentionally kicking the ball out of play by the batter then results in a dead ball.
• Pinch runners are allowed for injured players only. The runner will be the last out of
the same sex. Injured kickers may utilize pinch runners based on the same criteria.
• Runs crossing the home plate before a third out made on a force out do not count.
Runs that cross before a tag out on a player do count, however.

VI. Mercy Rule

• Teams may opt to submit if down 15 runs or more.

VII. Standings

• A win shall count as two points, a tie as one and losses as zero. Seeding for the
tournament is based on highest point total. Tie breakers are as follows: head to head,
runs against (defense wins championships, ya know!!), runs scored, coin toss.