Current NIRSA (National Intramural Recreational Sport Association) shall govern all intramural rules used for Wiffleball at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Intramural Sports reserves the right to make changes or additions to the rules or policies at anytime.

Facility

Wiffleball will be played at the Campus Recreation Center. Inside or Outside shall depend on the weather.

Equipment

  1. Athletic shorts/ pants must be worn. No belts, belt loops, exposed drawstrings or zippers are allowed.
  2. No leg or knee braces made of hard, unyielding material is allowed.
  3. No jewelry is allowed. Including earrings, rings, necklaces, watches and bracelets of any kind.
  4. No headwear with a hard surface or exposed knot may be worn. This includes baseball hats, bandannas, do-rags, and stocking caps.
  5. Bats and balls will be provided.

Players and Game Timing

  1. Teams should consist of 5 players.
  2. The times of the games and number of the innings for the game will be determined at the start of the tournament and be relayed during the captains meeting.
  3. Varsity baseball or softball players are not eligible to play intramural wiffleball.
  4. Scoring
    • There will be a 10-run limit per inning for each team. Once the 10th run is scored the inning will end, no matter how many outs.
    • Mercy rule: the game will be ended if a team is up by 15 or more runs after the third inning during all preliminary rounds and will end in the 5th inning in the championship game.
  5. Overtime
    • If the score is tied at the end of regulation, extra innings shall be played until the tie is broken.

Playing Regulations

  1. If you argue any call with the umpire, your team will be charged an extra out.
  2. Leading, stealing bases, and sliding are not permitted. If you slide, you will be charged an out.
  3. Batters shall start with a count of 1 and 1 (1 ball and 1 strike)
    • Strike Zone: The seat part of a chair and back of the chair.
    • Strikeout: Two strikes make an out. A strike is a swing and miss, or a foul ball. You must swing and miss to strike out. A foul second strike will not constitute an out. Three outs per team per inning.
    • A ball must be hit past the free throw line to be in play; all other balls in fair territory that land short of the foul line will be a foul ball. (No bunting allowed).
    • If the ball hits the ceiling it is a foul ball.
    • Three balls will count as a walk. Getting hit by a pitch will not be an automatic walk; it will just count as a ball.
    • A ball that goes in the far end basketball hoop will be a grand slam; if any players are on base you add that to the 4 runs.
  4. A pitcher is allowed to throw one fast pitch per at bat. All other pitches must be thrown at ¾ speed or slower.
    • The pitcher’s mound will be placed at the front of the circle at half-court.
  5. Homeruns will be past the baseline under the far hoop on the court or onto the track. A ball that is caught on the court past the homerun line will constitute an out. If the ball hits the track and bounces back in play it is a homerun because the ball passed the homerun line in the air. Specific homerun rules for court 1 & 3 will be covered at the captains meeting the day of the tournament.
  6. All hits will be played off the screen & basketball backboard/hoop like a baseball is played off the Green Monster. You can catch the ball off these obstructions but the player is not out and the play will continue.
  7. Mounding Rule: If a player hits a fair ball on the ground or off the screen and the fielding team can return the ball to the pitcher’s mound before the runner can reach first base, the runner will be called out. If there are men on who are forced to run, they must reach the next base before the ball is mounded. Only one player per at bat can be determined out on a mounding play.
  8. Outs: A player may be called out by strikeout, tag out, mounding, and a ball thrown that hits the runner below the waist.
  9. If a ball is thrown at a runner hits him/her above the waist, the player is safe
  10. When a ball is over-thrown, the runner will be awarded bases at the umpire's discretion.
  11. If the ball rolls under or over the curtain it is played as a ground rule double.