Structure:

This is a mostly-casual adult recreation league that is really more of an excuse to get out of the house for an hour or so.

The rules of the game are pretty simple and set up in a home run derby style format. No teams are necessary; everyone competes as an individual. Games will be played as part of a monthly series with each player’s top score from that month counting as their official final score. This allows players to participate as much as they would like.

For everyone’s convenience, there will be no set time, date, or frequency in which the games are scheduled. If there is enough participation to warrant it, a schedule or routine game date and time could be established.

Games will be played at Edna Balz Lacy Park. 

A prize will be awarded to the winner at the end of each month. Prizes are TBD.

Game structure:

1. Three players are needed to score an official game. More players are welcome to play.
2. Games consist of five (5) innings or rounds.
3. An inning, or round, consists of each player getting a chance to bat. Order of batting determined by participating players.
4. The batter will continue to hit until three outs are recorded.
5. The batter may request a specific pitcher.
6. There are no fielders or defense. Hits and outs are recorded by how far the ball travels.
   1. Players who are in the field shagging balls, or pitching, must make every attempt to get out of the way of a live ball and let it land – and stop rolling – on its own. In the event of interference of a live ball, the batter may choose to take the points associated with where the ball was initially interfered with (not where the interfered ball stops moving) or the batter may choose to have a re-do.
7. Each player shall keep track of his or her points for each inning and for the entire game and scores are reported at the end of the game to one player who will send via text to all participating players (for verification) and to Jon Pickett (317-450-6172) for archiving/monthly scoring purposes.

How it’s played:

1. The pitcher shall stand approximately 30-40’ from the front of home plate.
2. The pitcher shall attempt to throw strikes at a reasonable speed and best accommodate any requests by the batter for speed and/or location of pitches. No curveballs, sliders, sinkers, knuckleballs, etc. unless requested by the batter.
3. The batter does not have to swing at every pitch, but in the spirit of sportsmanship and to keep the games moving, players should swing at any pitch in the strike zone.
   1. If an excessive amount of good pitches are taken, the participating players may give the batter a warning and if the next good pitch (strike) is taken, it will result in an out. In order to implement this rule, all participating players – other than the batter – must agree to administer the warning and all must agree that the pitch taken was a good pitch (strike that did not curve into the strike zone). If there is not a 100% consensus by the participating players – other than the batter – that the taken pitch was good (a strike that did not curve into the strike zone), no out is recorded; however, the participating players may issue another, consecutive warning.
4. A hit or out is determined by where the ball stops rolling except in the case of a home run, which must clear the designated home run distance in the air, or in the event of a foul ball as defined below:
   1. A foul ball is a ball that:
      1. stops moving in foul territory before reaching the distance for a single
      2. makes initial contact in foul territory beyond the distance for a single
      3. does not travel more than 5’
   2. An out is a ball that travels more than 5’ in fair territory, but does not travel more than 45’ (approx. 15 paces).
      1. Three consecutive foul balls is considered an out (pitches that are “taken” do not break or reset the three-consecutive foul ball out rule).
   3. A single is a fair ball that travels beyond 60’ but not more than 75’ (approx. 20–25 paces) and was a fair ball.
   4. A double is a fair ball that travels beyond 75’ but not more than 90’(approx. 25–30 paces) and was a fair ball.
   5. A triple is a fair ball that travels beyond 90’ but not more than 105’ (appox. 30–35 paces.
   6. A home run is a fair ball that initially makes contact with the ground beyond 95’ (approx. 35.001’).
      1. A home run ball may land in foul territory so long as it is determined by all players (or at least not contested by any players) that it crossed the home run distance in fair territory.
      2. A ball that makes initial contact with the ground before the home run distance, and rolls beyond the home run distance, will be ruled a triple.
5. The measurements will all be approximate and marked by various objects or landmarks as available.
   1. If a distance ruling is in question, each participating player will judge the ball and vote on the distance/score. Only players participating in the game can cast a vote (spectator votes do not count). The ruling will be determined by the majority vote. In the event of a tie vote, the ruling/scoring will be determined to be the higher of the two scores in question.
   2. If the ball is being questioned as to whether it is a fair or foul ball, the same majority vote by participating players will determine the ruling; however, in the event of a tie vote, the ball will be ruled foul.
      1. If the ruling is determined to be foul, and this is the batter’s third consecutive foul ball, the player will get one additional swing; it will not count as a third-consecutive foul ball out.

Scoring:

1. A single is worth 1 point
2. A double is worth 2 points
3. A triple is worth 3 points
4. A home run is worth 4 points

Each inning/round has a maximum of 20 points for the batter. When 20 points is earned or exceeded, the batter’s inning/round is over. There is no carry-over, 20 points is the maximum (if a player has 19 points and hits a double, their score for the inning/round is 20; not 21. Thus a perfect game is 100 points (20 points x 5 innings).

https://www.blitzball.com/