PLAYER’S EQUIPMENT

• Any equipment on a Player  is an extension of the Player. (jersey/t-shirt, footwear, costume, soft brace, etc.)
• OSSO Jerseys Are Required.
  • Exceptions for theme nights
• Metal cleats are not allowed.
• Gloves made to enhance grip of the ball are not permitted.
  • This includes athletic gloves (including, but not limited to, batting, goalie, receiver, golf, weightlifting, or bike gloves)

GAMEPLAY

• Games are 7 Innings or 50 Minutes
• New Innings cannot be started with under 5 minutes left in the timeslot
• Mercy rule is 10 or More runs after 5 innings
• Regular season (and Preseason) games may end in a tie
  • No Extra Innings for Pre or Regular Season Games
• Playoff games for Semifinals & Finals play at least 7 Innings regardless of time
  • Mercy rule may end a Semifinal or Final game before 7 Innings is complete
• Rock-Paper-Scissors or Beer Chug/Shotgun determine Home or Away during regular season games
  • Home Team is Higher Seed in Playoff Games
• If a team has less than the required amount of a particular sex to play during the pre or regular season, the opposing captain must verbally agree to the REF to the game being counted toward the standings.
  • Team that is short must play a person down in the field AND take an out where that person would be kicking in the order 
• Once the pitcher has complete control of the ball within 6 feet of the pitcher's rubber, time is called. 
  • Runners who are off base must return to the base they were running from.
  • Runners may not attempt extra bases by baiting fielders who have possession of the ball when the play is clearly over & no reasonable runner would attempt to take a base.
    • Time may also be called at this point whether the pitcher has the ball or not.

KICKING LINEUP

• Team Captains must have a written kicking lineup prior to gametime
• All players playing in the game must be in the kicking lineup & play in the field at least one inning
• Players in the lineup that are late to the game will be considered an “Out” if their turn comes up during play until they are present
• Captains should communicate with the Head Ref & Opposing Captain if a player will need a pinch runner due to injury
• 3 players of the same sex cannot kick consecutively until all other players of the sex in the minority have kicked. 
  • ex: M,M,F,M,M,F… until all Females have kicked
• If a player is too injured to kick, they are out
  • If an injured player chooses to kick & makes it on base safely, they may be subbed out for a pinch runner.
• A pinch runner is the last out of the same sex as the player requesting a pinch runner
• Kicking out of order results in an out. 
  • Any resulting play is nullified by kicking out of order
  • Once the next play has started, the kicking order cannot be challenged.

OUTS

• 4 Non-Balls (Called strikes, “swinging strikes” or foul balls) is an out
• Any kicked ball caught in the air by a defensive player (Fair or Foul)
• Any time a Fielder has control of the ball and touches a base to which a Baserunner is forced to advance prior to the Baserunner reaching the base is an out. 
• Hitting the base with a thrown or kicked ball is NOT an out.
• Touching the base with the ball, while maintaining complete control of the ball, is an out.  
  • Fielder must not rely on the ground/base to establish that control.
• A runner touched by the ball while not on base
• If the runner should be forced off their base due to the kicker-runner, they are not considered on base when hit, and the out and Dead Ball Stoppage Occur as if they were off the base. 
  • All Baserunners must return to the bases they last reached before the stoppage.
  • Exception for a Baserunner who has overrun first base with no intent on advancing.
• A runner who should be forced off their base by subsequent runners advancing can be tagged or pegged out as if they were off base.
• A tag of the originating base on a tag up before the runner can return to base
• A runner who fails to tag up (called at conclusion of play)
  • Result of the play may be adjusted once accounting for this out
• A runner who misses a base (called at conclusion of play)
• Result of the play may be adjusted once accounting for this out
  • A runner is off base when the ball is kicked
  • If this is the third out of an inning, the current Kicker’s at-kick ends.
• Any Baserunner intentionally running more than four (4) feet outside their established Base Path, for the purpose of avoiding a tag or throw, is out.
• Swerving to avoid a collision or safety concern will not result in an out, unless the action also caused the avoidance of a tag or peg attempt.
  • REFs will use their judgment to weigh both the intent of the runner and the right of the defense to complete an ordinary play to determine if an out would likely have been made but was denied due to the runner leaving the Base Path unreasonably. 
• Any Baserunner who passes another Baserunner is out. 
• Interference with a fielder or play results in an out.

KICKING

• A Kick must be made by the leg, below the hip.
• A “double kick” is a “Foul Ball”
• 4 Balls constitutes a Walk
  • 4 straight balls without a non-ball to start an at kick, the kicker is awarded 2 bases instead of 1
• A kick must occur at or behind home plate & within the kicking box
• At least a portion of the plant foot must be behind the plate & within the box
  • A violation is a “Foul Ball”
• Kickers may start outside the kicking box
• Kickers may not intentionally touch a pitched ball with their hands before it is called a ball, strike or foul. 
  • Penalty is an Out
  • Kickers may “help” or return the ball back to the pitcher after the pitched ball has been called.
     

FIELDING

• Each Team may field up to 11 players in the field defensively
• At least 4 Females & 4 Males in the field
• Each Team may replace its Pitcher and/or Catcher position once per inning, unless injury forces another substitution
• All fielders except the catcher must start behind the encroachment line with at least one foot in fair territory. 
• Any non-pitcher, non-catcher fielder crossing the encroachment line before the ball is kicked is considered encroachment.
  • Kicking team may choose the better of the result of the play OR 2 balls on the kicker’s count.
• Fielders may not start the play by standing on a base or in the baseline.
• No “Infield Fly” Rule
• Any ball that is kicked, if the catcher chooses to touch the ball before it reaches the 1st-3rd base line or if it stops short of the line and the catcher touches it, the ball is considered foul at that point. 
  • If any other fielder touches the ball before that line, it is considered fair and in play
• The ball itself calls fair or foul when it's touched
  • If a player is standing in fair territory & touches a kicked ball in foul territory, it is a foul ball.
  • Once a ball hits foul territory, it is foul, even if it spins/rolls/bounces back into the field of play before 1st/3rd base
• If a ball touches foul territory, it is foul
• Fielder should never stand directly on a bag or home plate, even if a ball is in play. 
• If a fielder is attempting to make a play at a base, they should stand to the side & have their foot tagging the base if the play is a force out.
• The fielding team has the right to make a defensive play on a kicked or thrown ball, however interference will be called on any defensive play where a runner is impeded because of fielder error. 
  • ex: a throw to first base that pulls the first baseman into the runner’s lane is interference IF the runner has to make an adjustment in order to avoid a collision
• A fielder has the right to a ball if they are the most direct fielder pursuing an unfielded kicked ball. Interference is not called in this case.
  • ex: a pop up or ground ball where the inflection point is in the natural baseline. Not interference 
• IF a fielder is attempting to make a play at first base, they may touch the safest portion of either the white OR orange bag so as to not trip the runner. 
  • ex. If a throw takes the first baseman into foul territory, they may tag the orange bag for the out instead of sticking out their leg to touch the white bag

OVERTHROW

• A ball that is thrown, kicked or deflected into foul territory while making a defensive play
  • Runners are restricted to advancing one base they are on OR running toward (momentum)
  • If any fielder attempts to make an out prior to time being called, runners may continue running as though an overthrow did not take place
  • A thrown, tipped or kicked ball deflected off a runner & going foul is NOT considered an overthrow, play continues as usual.
     

BASERUNNING

• Ties will go to the runner
• No Leading off or Base Stealing
• Baserunners may tag up the moment the ball touches a defender
• Runners do not need to wait for a catch to be secured before advancing bases
   

PITCHING

• There is no limit on speed of pitches
• The strike zone is 1 Foot on either side of the plate & 1 Foot High
• Bouncing is allowed
• A bouncing pitched ball must touch the ground at least three times prior to reaching the front of the plate. 
• If the third bounce is on the plate, the pitch is a ball.
• The ball must be pitched underhand.
  • A sidearm pitch is called a ball
• The sidearm pitch is still live & the kicker may choose to kick the ball
• A Pitch must be from on or behind the Encroachment Line; 
  • With the plant foot, upon release, on or behind the front edge of the pitching strip and no wider than one foot from either side of the pitching strip
  • Pitcher must finish the pitching motion naturally
    • Any movement forward beyond the finishing the natural pitching motion prior to the ball being kicked is considered pitcher’s encroachment.
• Kicking team may choose the better of the result of the play OR addition of 2 balls on the kicker’s count.

CATCHING

• Teams must have a catcher when playing defense
• A catcher is required to start behind the opposing team’s kicker & may not cross the front of the kicker until the pitch is kicked or the kicker lets the ball pass
• The Catcher crossing or running into the kicker before the ball is kicked or passed is considered encroachment.
• Kicking team may choose the better of the result of the play OR 2 balls on the kicker’s count. 

PLAYOFFS

• ONLY rostered players may play in playoffs. 
• We are aware that EVERYONE thinks their team's roster situation deserves an exception just this one time. Don't do it. You will get caught, you'll forfeit, you'll be mad & it just makes what would have been a great night for everyone else really awkward.
• Teams must have at least 8 players on the field at all times in the playoffs, including 4 females. 
  • If a player is injured during playoffs that would cause a team to be below the 8 total required players, they may play with 7.
• If your team has less than 4 of each sex, you have 10 minutes from your designated game time for your 4th to arrive otherwise it is a forfeit.
• If a player is on their way to the game (after the minimum gender counts have been met), Captains must inform the opposing Captain & REF of the situation.
  • IF that player’s spot in the lineup comes up while they're still in transit, they will be counted as an out.
  • Once they get to the game, they're allowed to play & take their spot in the order.
• Penalty for not meeting minimum roster requirements in playoffs is a forfeit
• If a team forfeits, Teams may play for fun, but the non-forfeiting team will move on in the playoffs

EXTRA INNINGS IN PLAYOFFS

• At the conclusion of 7 Innings (or 50 Minutes) Extra Inning Rules will be applied if the score is tied.
• New Innings cannot be started with under 5 minutes left in the timeslot 
• Both Teams will continue their regular kicking lineup
• Both Teams will field a total of 8 Players (4 Male/4 Female)
• Both Teams will start each inning with a runner at 2nd base
  • The last person out in the previous inning is the runner to start at 2nd

CODE OF CONDUCT

• Lighthearted trash talking is ok.
• Any conduct deemed unsportsmanlike will not be tolerated.
  • Including but not limited to taunting, fighting, verbal abuse, lewd or threatening behavior, offensive language, stalling tactics, collusion, or intentionally inciting a reaction from opposing players or REFs.
• Any angry personal profanity (I.E. “F You”) will dictate an immediate ejection for that player.
  • A second event with that same player will cause a rest of season suspension for that player
  • Repeated offenses by the same team will result in the entire team being suspended rest of season
• Intentional physical malice is strictly prohibited & will result in immediate ejection/suspension/expulsion from the league. 
  • intentionally creating contact when contact can be reasonably avoided. Including, but not limited to 
    • running over a fielder/catcher
    • throwing a shoulder into a runner
    • pegging a runner in the head or neck area with intent to injure
• Ejected players must leave the playing fields & cannot return that day.
• If an Ejected player does not leave, the team will forfeit. 
• Only captains are permitted to communicate about game situations with the referees. If you don’t have a “C” on your shoulder, stay silent!
  • If there is a dispute about score or rules question, a captain may ask for a meeting with the opposing captain and the ref to get the call right.
• Each field will have a manual scoreboard updated between at bats by the head Ref
• Judgment calls will be wrong from time to time. 
  • RELAX! You'll live. It's an imperfect game played by amateurs and reffed by volunteers.
• If a judgment call goes in your team’s favor when it shouldn’t have, your captain can and should speak up to get the correct call.

Any other league specific rules that were not addressed in these rules will be subject to League Manager’s “Spirit of the League” ruling and will be determined with fairness, player safety & fun in mind.