EQUIPMENT

• All equipment is provided by PB Sports Club, including a 10” rubber kickball, scoreboard, and timer.

• Only PB SPORTS Club-issued game balls may be used.

• Players must wear shirts and shoes/cleats (no metal spikes).

• Protective equipment is allowed unless the umpire determines it provides an unfair advantage. (Example: football gloves may be removed if determined to enhance performance.)

• The umpire has final authority on what equipment is allowed.

PLAYER CONDUCT

• Only the Team Captain may address or question a call with the umpire.

• Harassment, arguing, profanity, or disrespect toward officials or other players may result in ejection or suspension.

• Fighting, pushing, or physical aggression = immediate ejection and potential removal from the tournament.

• Any player ejected must leave the field area. A $50 fine must be paid before returning in future games.

UMPIRES

• Games are officiated by at least one Head Umpire. A First Base and/or Third Base Umpire may be assigned when available.

• Umpires may:

• Call time outs

• Stop or end games due to weather or safety

• Issue penalties, cards, or ejections for misconduct

• Umpires may rule on any situation not explicitly covered in the rulebook.

• Touching or verbally abusing an umpire results in immediate tournament suspension (police involvement if necessary).

GAMEPLAY

1.Games are 45 minutes or 7 innings (whichever comes first).

2.Games can end in a tie during pool play.

3.10-run max per inning.

4.Maximum 9 players on defense, all male.

5.A team may start/continue with 6 players minimum.

6.If a playoff game pauses due to weather, it resumes from where it stopped.

7.Rock/Paper/Scissors decides home vs. away.

8.If the Home Team is leading entering the bottom of the final inning, game ends.

Game Ball

• Only PB Sports Club-provided kickballs may be used.

ROSTERS

1.Players must be 18+ and listed on the roster/waiver.

2.Max roster size: 16 players.

3.Additions to roster allowed until the team’s 3rd tournament game, then the roster locks.

4.A team may play with fewer than 9 players, but only players already rostered in the tournament may sub. No outside pickups.

5.Players may be on two rosters (must pay for each division entered).

6.Lineup cards must be submitted before each game — any new players are added to the bottom.

7.All players must have played at least one game to be eligible for playoffs.

8.Injured or ejected player rules:

•Injured: spot becomes an out only if a married sub is not available.

•Ejected: automatic out in their lineup spot.

Roster Checks

• Teams may request a roster check anytime during the game.

• Illegal players = removal and possible forfeit.

• No roster checks after the game ends.

PITCHING (INTERMEDIATE – ONLY STYLE USED FOR MEN’S DIVISION)

LEGAL PITCH REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be underhand only (no side-arm, no wrist-flick curve attempts).

• Must bounce at least twice before reaching the plate.

• If the 2nd bounce lands on the plate → Ball.

• Pitcher must remain:

• On or behind the encroachment line

• Plant foot no wider than 1 ft from the pitching strip upon release

Penalty for illegal pitch: 1 Ball added to the count

OUTS

1. Any foul ball caught while in the air is considered an out. However, if a player drops a foul ball within the boundaries of foul territory, it retains its classification as a foul ball. Any foul ball caught while in the air is considered an out. However the play is still live, and a player can tag up and advance.
2. It is a violation for players to hit a runner above the shoulders with a thrown ball, and will result in being called safe. Additionally, any runner who is hit above the shoulders will be credited with an extra base. In the event that a runner deliberately uses their head to block the ball, they will be declared out, If a player slides or dives into a base and contact is made in the head/neck area runner will still be ruled out. 
3. Defensive players are allowed to kick the ball to get an opponent out as long as they don’t interfere with any runner. After receiving the ball, they have three options to secure an out: throwing the ball at the runner, tagging them with the ball, or stepping on a base (only in a force out scenario)
4. In order to obtain an out, the first baseman is required to have one foot on first base (not the safety bag). If the first baseman does not make contact with first base before the runner, the runner will be deemed safe.
5. Hypothetical boundary applies to instances of overthrown and caught fly balls that are deemed fouls: including thrown over or beyond the fence or hypothetical boundary line when there is no fence. Ball contact with tents, gates, fences, or any other object not part of the playing field, will be considered a dead ball.
6. The absence of an infield fly rule can be attributed to the uncertainty of successfully catching a fly ball in kickball. This is counterbalanced by the implementation of a no “cheese” rule, wherein the umpire has the authority to deem a fielder’s intentional failure to catch a fly ball, particularly for the purpose of making a double play or gaining some other advantageous position, as grounds for calling both runners safe. This is at Umpire’s discretion, and cannot be argued by any players. 

Defense

1. Player are allowed to be anywhere without following any formal positions.

2. The pitcher and fielders are required to remain behind a parallel line extending from the first base line to the third base line, which passes through the pitcher’s mound up to when the ball is kicked.

3. If a player is thrown out by a ball (Contacted with a ball that leaves the defender’s possession) the ball is considered a dead ball and no further bases can be taken by base runners.

4. If a player is tagged by a ball (Contacted with a ball that is IN the defender’s possession) the ball is considered a live ball until time is called by the lead official.

5. Any foul ball caught while in the air is considered an out. However a player can tag up and advance as the ball is still considered a live ball.

Defensive ENCROACHMENT & OBSTRUCTION 

ALL PLAYER ENCROACHMENT 

• All PBSportsClub Officials will have an Encroachment Flag, ready to throw if an Encroachment occurs. Umpires have been advised to throw the Encroachment Flag immediately once they see the foul. The play will be played out in the entirety. If a Runner is called safe on a defensive encroachment, the Offense has the right to keep the result of the play. If a Runner is called/thrown out as a result of the encroachment, this will be null and void, and the kicker will go back to kick and be rewarded 1 ball onto the count. 

PITCHER ENCROACHMENT

• Occurs when a Pitcher fails to deliver the pitch while his/her entire body remains on or behind the encroachment line before the ball is kick Failure to do so results in a Pitcher Encroachment call.
• If a Pitcher falls during the delivery of their pitch and slips due to field conditions, it should not be considered Pitcher Encroachment. However, if the Pitcher is subsequently the first person to touch the Kicked Ball and derives an advantage from initially being in an encroaching position, this would be deemed encroachment.

CATCHER ENCROACHMENT

• Catchers must start 3 feet behind the kicker, regardless of where the kicker begins their approach. Catchers are allowed to move forward (to coincide with the kickers forward motion prior to kick) However no body part of the catcher can be in front of the kicker until contact is made by the kicker with the ball regardless of where the kicker makes this.
• Failure to comply with the statement above will result in an Encroachment flag being thrown, and assessed the associated penalty.
• Offense (Kicker) cannot evoke an encroachment call by deliberately starting and stopping (Faking) their forward progress to interfere with the catcher’s momentum. Kicker’s cannot run up and then back pedal. If this becomes an issue and a warning has already been given once during the game the Pitcher will be rewarded a strike to the count. Umpires will have full discretion to this call.  

Obstruction (Player Safety)

• Fielders cannot stand within the baseline, on the base, or in a position that blocks the base. No contact may be made by the fielders to the runners, unless making an active play on the ball forces the defender to do so. If this occurs it will result in the Baserunner being awarded the base they were attempting to take, at the discretion of the Umpire. Fielders at a base must ALWAYS leave a clear lane for the runner to access the base, until the ball is in their possession and control. If a Fielder is in a blocking position before having control of the ball, and the Baserunner is approaching, Obstruction may be called even if there is no collision.
• 1st Base Obstruction. Offense (Kickers) must use the outside bag when running through 1st, contact with the inside bag (Defense’s bag) will result in an out being called.
• 1st Base Obstruction. Defense must use the inside bag when making an out at 1st, contact with the outside bag (Kicker’s bag) will result in safe being called.

Overthrow Rule

Definition of an Overthrow:
An overthrow happens when:

• A thrown or kicked ball misses the target and ends up in foul territory.
• A peg attempt misses a runner.
• A throw to a teammate is wild, dropped, or mishandled.

Not an Overthrow:

• A dropped or bobbled kicked ball.
• A successful peg that bounces off a runner, even if the runner is safe.

Advancing on an Overthrow:

• Runners can only take ONE base, but this is not automatic. The runner must show intent to advance.
• The runner advances at their own risk—they can still be tagged out.
• Overthrows at second base don’t apply to this rule (ball is still live).
• Overthrows at third base or home may be called out-of-play—umpire discretion applies.

Important Notes:

• A runner must be already rounding the base when the overthrow happens to be eligible to take the next base.
• If a fielder makes a play on a runner after the overthrow, runners are free to advance as normal.
• If there’s no play attempt, the ball should be left or gently returned to the pitcher.
• If a runner goes beyond the allowed base and interferes with the play, a Dead Ball may be called.

End of Play:

• • Once the pitcher has control of the ball and is within 5 feet of the pitching strip, the play will be blown dead by the head official. 
  • If a runner is already moving toward the next base at that time, they may continue.
    
    Backstop Rule
  • A defensive backstop must be positioned 6 feet behind home plate.
  • The backstop’s only job is to retrieve balls not put in play (balls/strikes).
  • In the Event where defense is playing with the minimum amount of players or has injured players unable to backstop, offense will backstop and the kicker in the on deck circle will be back stop throughout the game for both teams. 
• • • If the backstop interferes with a live ball, it will be ruled a Dead Ball, and all runners will be awarded one base.

Offense

1. Bunting is permitted by all players, but any bunted ball resulting in a double kick will be deemed a foul ball. Additionally, any ball that comes to rest on or is retrieved from home plate will be categorized as a fair ball.  

2. There are no specific guidelines for the order in which males or females should kick.

3. In a kicking order, if a male is walked and a female is next, the female can choose to either take a walk or kick. The umpires will enforce this rule if asked, but it is not their responsibility to notify the kicker in every walk situation.

4. Each kicker begins with a 1-1 count and is granted one courtesy foul. A kicker will be declared out after committing a second foul ball. Four balls result in a walk.

Examples:

1. If a player hits two consecutive foul balls, the player is out.
2. If a player’s first pitch is a strike and the next pitch after is a CALLED strike that player is out.
3. If a player’s first pitch is a foul ball followed by a strike, the player is out.
4.   If a player’s first pitch is a Called strike they have 1 good foul to use. A 2nd foul after the 1st one is an out.

Married/Sub 

* Married (paired) players are allowed, but each married pair must be the SAME GENDER.

Injury or Illness

* If a player becomes injured or sick during the game, the Team Captain may request a time-out to remove that player and replace them with their married substitute of the same gender.

* All injuries must be reported to the opposing Team Captain and recorded on the Head Umpire’s scorecard.

Pinch Runners

1. Only the married sub may be utilized as a pinch runner for an injured kicker

2. Substitutions to any injured Baserunners that are not married in the kicking lineup are limited to 1 substitution per game which will be the last out of the same gender. If a player asks for a 2nd pinch runner, they will not be awarded one and will be deemed an automatic out in the lineup, and you will be called out on the play. 

Kicking Lineup After Injury
If an injured player cannot continue, the lineup will proceed in one of these ways:

1. With a married substitute (same gender) — The substitute takes the injured player’s spot in the lineup.

2. Without a married substitute — The injured player’s spot remains empty, and an automatic out will be recorded every time that spot comes up in the kicking order.

Offensive Substitutions are not permitted; all players that take the field on defense must be in the lineup card given to the head official prior to the start of the game. 

Playoff

 Playoff Field TBD prior to the playoff release

1. All qualified teams are permitted to participate in the playoffs.

2. It is imperative to note that only those players who have submitted a signed waiver are permitted to participate in the playoffs. Furthermore, teams have the flexibility to make additions to their roster at any point before the third game of the tournament .

3. If it is determined by PB Sports Club staff that a player is not currently listed on the roster or has not been registered on the roster prior to playoffs, said player will be disqualified and the team may face penalties such as forfeiting the game.

4. NO MERCY RULE, In the playoffs

5. In the event of a tie after 7 complete innings in a playoff game, the Texas Tiebreaker rule will be implemented. Under this rule, both teams will begin the subsequent inning with a runner on second base, specifically the player who made the last out in the previous inning. This process will continue until there is a determined winner.

• • If the game is still tied, proceed to the 10th inning. Each team will start with a runner on third base with one OUT, with the runner being the player who made the last out in the previous inning.

6. Playoff/Seeding ranking of teams is determined by 

Scenario 1 (Only 2 Teams Tied in overall Record)

1. Head-to-head matchup result, (2) Run Differential, (3) Runs Scored, and (4) Coin Flip 

Scenario 2 (3+ Teams Tied in overall Record)

1. Run Differential, (2) Runs Scored, (3) Runs Allowed, and (4) Coin Flip 

Seedings with Ties breakdown 

• 3-1 Record: 3 wins and 1 loss out of 4 total games results in a 75% winning percentage (3/4 = 0.750).
• 2-0-2 Record: 2 wins, 0 losses, and 2 ties out of 4 total games results in a 66.7% winning percentage (2 wins + 0.5 ties are counted in some systems, but typically it is calculated as total wins divided by total games: 2/4 = 0.500; or with a specific tie formula). Regardless of the exact calculation, a 3-1 record has a better percentage.