Official LSSC Kickball Tournament Rules

Team

• All players must be registered with the team to play with that team. All players must wear the tournament provided wrist band. 
• Team rosters shall include a minimum of 10 players, including at least 4 of each gender.
• Each team must exchange kicking orders prior to the start of the game. Lineup sheets will be provided.
• Every team must kick a minimum of 10 players in their lineup (at least 4 male and 4 female players).
• The maximum number of players on the field is 10, with at least 4 of each gender.
• If a team has fewer than the required number of players of a specified gender available, players of one gender may not be substituted for members of another gender. For example, if a team has 10 total players available at game time, but only 3 are female, the team must play short with 9 players.
• Fielding teams are required to play catcher and pitcher.
• Every team playing defense needs to use a back catcher. This is not the catcher. The back catcher is a player that returns the ball to the pitcher.
• No substitutes for the catcher are permitted during the inning unless the player is injured.
• Steel cleats are prohibited.
• Pool Play - Each game shall be completed in no more than 5 innings or 50 minutes
• Tournament - Each game shall be completed in no more than 7 innings or 50 minutes
• A coin toss or rock-paper-scissors shall determine the home team, who shall have a choice to either kick first or field first.

Field

• The distance between bases shall be 60 feet.
• First base shall include a safety base placed to the right; overruns must be made on the safety base. If an offensive player fails to use the safety bag on an overrun, they will be called out under the officials discretion. 
• The safety base is for the runner only.  You must play bases inside the field of play in order to tag a runner out at the attempted/forced base.

Pitching

• Pitching: No pitching style restrictions
• The pitcher shall release the ball, keeping both feet on or behind the pitcher's plate until the ball is kicked.An encroachment call will result in the kicker choosing the option of allowing the result of the play stand OR nullify the result of the play and add 1 ball to the kickers count.
• Pitches must bounce two times before the plate or be rolling on the ground to be a strike.
• The ball must pass within the 1-foot strike zone around and above home plate.
• Pitchers may move left or right once the ball is released but must remain behind the mound until contact is made with the ball.

Defense

• No defensive player (including the pitcher) may cross the invisible line between 1st and 3rd base prior to the ball being kicked. An encroachment call will result in the kicker choosing the option of allowing the result of the play stand OR nullify the result of the play and add 1 ball to the kickers count.
• The catcher must remain behind the kicker and directly in or behind the kicking box until the kicker makes contact with the ball. The catcher may NOT stand in front of the kicker or to the side of the kicking box or so closely to the kicker as to interfere with his or her ability to kick, until contact is made with the ball.

Obstruction

• The fielder has right of path when actively playing the ball in that area. If obstruction or a collision of any type occurs between a defensive player and a runner with a ball being actively played in that area → the runner that caused obstruction or collision will be called out. The official will also determine whether or not the fielder was in position to get a different runner out. If this is determined by the officials discretion, that runner will also be called out.
• The runner has right of path when the ball is not being played in that area. If obstruction or a collision of any type occurs between a defensive player and a runner with no play in progress → the runner is awarded the base they were advancing to. An extra base is not automatically awarded. The runner has to make an attempt to advance to the next base.

Kicking

• There must be at least 10 total players and 4 players of each gender in the kicking order. If there are fewer than the required number of total players OR less than 4 of each gender, an automatic out should be counted at the end of the lineup. An auto out is added for every player short.
• There is no alternating gender requirement in the kicking order.
• Bunting is permitted by female players only.
  • Female Players: If the kicked ball comes to rest in the area between home plate and the 1st base-3rd-base line, inside the foul lines, it shall be considered FAIR.
  • Male Players: If a kicked ball does not go past the invisible line between 1st and 3rd base prior to the ball being kicked, the pitch will be ruled a foul/strike. The ball has to come to rest and the play called dead in order for it to be ruled a foul/strike. The ball will be considered live if the defense plays the ball before the ball comes to rest.
• 3 strikes is an out. No extra/good fouls given.
• Fouls are always counted as strikes.
• 4 balls allows the kicker to advance to first base

Running

• Sliding at first base is illegal. A player who slides at first base shall be called out. Runners must use the safety base.
• Head-first sliding is legal in tournament settings.
• Bobble/First touch rule - Runners MUST tag up if a ball is caught in the air by a defensive player. A player may begin the tag up on a kicked ball as soon as any defensive fielder makes contact with the ball. (Ex: If a fielder bobbles the catch, the runner may tag up at first contact, not when the catch is made.)
• Tagging up is permitted when a ball is caught in foul territory.
• Stealing bases and leading off bases is illegal. A player who was leading off the base prior to the hit shall be called out under the officials discretion.
• Infield fly will be called at the discretion of the home plate umpire. Infield fly is in effect with 1 or less outs and runners on 1st, and 2nd or runners on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Runners are allowed to advance when the ball has made contact with the ground or defender but are not obligated to run since the batter is automatically out. 
• Play shall end when the pitcher has control of the ball within 10 feet of the pitcher's mound and has stopped playing, if the pitcher makes an attempt at a runner, the play is still considered live. Any runners in motion when time is called, must stop at the base they are moving toward.  If it is determined by the referee that the runner has tried to advance and is not halfway to his next base, the runner must return to the base he/she was last on.  
• A runner is out when:
  • Fielder catches a fly ball.
  • Gets 3 strikes.
  • Base is tagged on a force out while a defensive player is possessing the ball.
  • Runner is tagged by a fielder in possession of the ball.
  • Runner is hit with the ball thrown or kicked by the defense.
  • Comes in contact with the ball while running to the next base.
• A runner that is tagged in the head by a ball shall be considered safe at their intended base, unless that player was sliding or intentionally placed their head in the path of the ball.
• In the event of an overthrow into foul territory in an attempt to make a play, the runner may advance only as far as the base they are running toward plus the next base. This is a restriction on the advance of the runner; runners are NOT automatically awarded the base.
• Pinch running due to injury is permitted at 1st, 2nd and 3rd base provided the pinch runner is of the same gender. The runner who was substituted for shall be removed permanently from the game. Pinch running at kick is not permitted.

Mercy Rule

• The inning shall advance when a team scores 7 runs in the inning. The mercy rule shall be called and the inning advanced immediately upon scoring the 7th run. The mercy rule advances the inning; it does not end the game except when team is down by more than 7 going into the 7th inning, more than 14 going into the 6th inning, or more than 21 going into the 5th inning, the game will be called.

Late Arrival Penalties & Forfeits

• Any players who show up after the game has started shall be added to the end of the kicking order.
• Teams must be ready to play and meet game start requirements within 5 minutes after the posted game time.

Game Ties

• Ties are permitted in pool play.
• Ties are not permitted in single elimination games.
  - If a single elimination game ends in a tie, it shall be broken via subsequent innings.

Single Elimination Tournament Seeding - All teams will be seeded based off pool play record. 

      Seeding Tie Breaker:
      1. Head to Head
      2. Runs Against (Runs given up by teams defense during pool play games)
      3. Run Differential (Runs a team has scored - Runs a team gives up during pool play games)
      4. Runs Scored (Runs scored during pool play games)
      5. Coin Toss

Conduct/Sportsmanship

All participants in the kickball league, including players and spectators, are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful manner. The use of profanity, offensive language, or any form of disrespectful communication directed towards opposing players, umpire, scorekeepers, league staff, or any individual involved in the league is strictly prohibited.

• The referee shall eject a player from the game if that player engages in unsportsmanlike conduct.
• An ejected player must leave the field and facility immediately.