National Wiffleball Circuit

Madisonville Wiffle Bash Rules

Contact Info

Game Structure and Timing :

Game Length

Pool Play: 3 innings or 45 minutes
Bracket Play: 3 innings or 45 minutes
Championship Game: 4 innings or 1 hour

Game Start Requirements

First-round pool play times will be posted the night before the event.
Teams must be ready to play at their scheduled start time.

Late Arrival Penalties

15 minutes late: Team begins with 3 outs recorded
25 minutes late: Game is ruled a forfeit

Game Balls :

Our goal is fair and consistent ball performance across all games.

Each team receives three (3) new official Wiffle balls at the start of the tournament.
Teams use these balls throughout the event and may keep them afterward.
Sandpaper will be provided for legal scuffing.

Ball Modifications

Allowed: Surface scuffing only
Not Allowed: Cuts, punctures, melting, heating, or structural changes
Tournament officials may inspect balls at any time.
Officials may replace any ball deemed too damaged for safe play.

Bat Regulations

Maximum barrel diameter: 3 inches
Bats must be plastic only
No metal bats allowed
Handle grip tape is permitted
No barrel performance modifications allowed
Any brand is acceptable if it meets size and material requirements

If you are unsure about a bat, tournament staff will be happy to review it before your first game.

Field Setup and Dimensions :

Playing Surface

Must be level grass or turf
Foul lines should form a 60–90 degree angle from home plate depending on available space

Infield

45-foot square base layout
Fair Play Line marked 8 feet from home plate extending to foul lines
Balls must pass this line to be ruled fair

Outfield

Foul poles: 75–100 feet from home plate
Fair Play Line marked 8 feet from home plate extending to foul lines
Balls must pass this line to be ruled fair

Pitching Distance

Foul poles: 75–100 feet from home plate
Center field: 85–120 feet
Outfield walls must be at least 4 feet tall and free of sharp edges

Batter's Box and Plate

Batter’s box: Between 3×4 ft and 4×6 ft
Home plate width: 17 inches

Backstop

Size: 8 ft × 8 ft
Distance: 4 feet behind home plate
Includes frame, netting, mesh, and vertical supports
Ground braces and outward supports are not in play

Out-Of-Play Areas

Surrounding field must be clear of equipment and obstructions
Adjacent fields are considered out of play

Ground Rules

Park-specific ground rules will be explained before games begin

Divisions and Eligibility

Divisions are structured to keep competition fair and appropriate for skill and age levels.

Division 1 - Open Elite

Minimum Age: 12+
Pitch Speed Cap: 72 MPH
Base Running: Live
Prize: $1,500

Division 2 - Competitive (Medium Pitch)

Minimum Age: 12+
Pitch Speed Cap: 60 MPH
Base Running: Standard / Ghost advancement
Prize: $1,000

Government/First Responders Division

Eligible: Police, Fire, EMS, Military, Government Employees
Minimum Age: 18+
Light verification may be required

Youth Divisions

Tee Ball: Ages 4–6
Coach Pitch: Ages 7–8
Minors: Ages 9–10 (60 MPH Pitch Speed Cap)
Majors: Ages 11–12 (60 MPH Pitch Speed Cap)
Juniors: Ages 13–15 (60 MPH Pitch Speed Cap)

Play-Up Policy

Players may play up in age or division
Players may not play down
Teams may not enter younger divisions

Multi-Division Entry

Teams may enter multiple divisions
Schedule conflicts are not adjusted
Missed games due to conflicts are forfeits

Director Discretion

Divisions may be combined or adjusted based on registration totals

Division 1 Gameplay - Live Base Running :

The following rules apply to Division 1 (Open Elite) games.

Game Format

3 innings regulation
Extra innings until a winner is determined
3 outs per inning
Count starts at 0–1
Walk: 4 balls
Strikeout: 2 strikes

Strike Zone

Strike if ball hits any part of strike zone target or frame
PVC base does not count
Target: 23 in × 27 in
Bottom 13 inches above ground
Positioned 3 feet behind plate

Foul Balls

Count as strikes
Foul into strike zone with two strikes = strike three

Run Limits

5-run limit per inning
No limit in final inning of bracket play
10-run mercy rule after equal innings

Lineups and Defense

4–6 player lineups
4 defenders in field including pitcher
Fielders must bat
DH allowed for pitcher only

Batting Rules

Hit by pitch = ball
Intentional walk allowed after one strike
Batter must accept intentional walk
Pinch hitting allowed by substitution
Batter may switch boxes before pitching motion
Leaning into pitch intentionally is not allowed
Infield fly may be called by offense with bases loaded on infield pop-up

Pitching Rules

One foot must touch rubber during delivery
Warmups: 10 (starter inning 1), 5 thereafter
No balks
Pitcher may not re-enter as pitcher
Speed cap: 72 MPH (spot checked)

Live Base Running Rules

Outs recorded by force, tag, or peg
Pegged runner is out even if ball hits ground first
Peg to head = runner safe
No stealing or leading off
Runners may leave once pitch reaches plate
Tagging up allowed
Sliding allowed; no collisions
One base awarded on throws out of play
Interference rules enforced both ways
Appeals allowed for missed bases

Boundary Rules

Bounce or under fence = ground rule double
Fair pole in air above fence = home run
Catch over fence valid if body in play
Throw out of play = one base
Ball hitting backstop/zone on play home = time

Division 2, Government, Majors, Juniors - Ghost Running :

The following rules apply to Division 2, Government, Majors (11–12), and Juniors (13–15) divisions.

Game Format

3 innings regulation
Extra innings until winner is determined
3 outs per inning
Count starts at 0–1
Walk: 4 balls
Strikeout: 2 strikes

Strike Zone

Strike if ball hits any part of strike zone target or frame
PVC base does not count
Target: 23 in × 27 in
Bottom 13 inches above ground
Positioned 3 feet behind plate

Run Limits

5-run limit per inning
No limit in final inning of bracket play
10-run mercy rule

Lineups and Defense

3–5 player lineups
3 defenders including pitcher
Fielders must bat
DH allowed for pitcher only

Hit Result Zones

Out = Cleanly fielded before infield line
Single = Dropped before infield line
Single = Stops before infield line
Single = Passes infield line on ground
Double = Rolls into fence
Triple = Hits fence in air
Home Run = Clears fence

Ghost Running Advancements

Runners advance only when forced
With 2 outs, runners advance one extra base
Infield singles advance runners one base only

Double Play Option

Clean infield grounder may start double play attempt
Defense has 3 seconds to hit backstop or strike zone with throw
Success = two outs
Failure = lead runner out only

Tag-up Scoring Play

Runner on third may tag and score on caught fly ball
Offense must call “Tag” while ball is in air
Defense has two steps to hit zone/backstop for out

Pitching Rules

One foot on rubber required
Warmup pitch counts same as Division 1
No balks
Pitcher may not re-enter as pitcher
Speed caps enforced by division limits

Youth Modified Divisions

Teel Ball (Ages 4-6)

Basic Tee Ball rules apply
Tee batting only
Bases in play
No score kept
3 outs per side

Coach Pitch (Ages 7-8)

Basic Coach Pitch rules apply
Coach pitch with tee backup
Bases in play
Score kept
5-run inning limit
3 outs per side

Minors (Ages 9-10) (60 MPH Pitch Speed Cap)

3 outs per inning
After three outs are recorded, any players in the batting lineup who have not yet had an at-bat that inning may still take one plate appearance. These additional at-bats are for participation and development only and do not count toward game results or base runner advancement.
Otherwise follows all Division 1 – Live Base Running rules

Sportsmanship and Conduct :

We want this tournament to be competitive, respectful, and fun for everyone involved.

Expectations

Respect for players, opponents, and staff is required
Positive celebration is encouraged
No abusive language or personal attacks
No fighting or physical confrontation
Team names must not contain explicit language

Penalites

Player ejection
Team removal from tournament
No refunds for conduct violations

End of Official Rulebook

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