Elementary school team holding a chart with their winning stats in the Y-noT Wiffle Ball Tournament.

Y-NOT Project Wiffle Ball Tournament Rules

The Y-noT Project Wiffle Ball Tournament will be played the way we played when we were kids. This means running the bases, “pitcher’s hand out,” and even “pegs.” The objective is to have fun, while raising money for a great cause.

Games

  • Each game will be 9 innings or if expired by time. No inning can start after 40 minutes from the time the game began, unless the game is tied.
  • A coin flip will determine the home team.
  • Innings will start with a runner designated by the team up to bat on second base.
  • If the game is tied after 50 minutes, the winning team will be the team that raised the most money for the Y-noT Project this year as of the end of the game. If both teams raised the same amount of money, the winner will be determined by coin flip.
  • Maximum 6 runs per inning.

Teams

  • Teams can made up of 6 – 14 players, with 5 – 9 players on the field defensively.
  • Free substitution for fielding positions is allowed between innings.
  • Pitchers may be freely substituted at any time, but no warm up pitches are allowed when pitchers are substituted during an inning. Pitchers may be substituted out and come back in to pitch.
  • All team members must hit. The batting order must remain the same throughout the game. If a team member must drop out of the game, the next time through the batting order you simply skip that person’s at bat with no penalty.
  • Players arriving late to the game must be added to the end of the batting order.

Equipment

  • Team t-shirts will be provided.
  • All wiffle balls and bats will be provided.
  • Only the event-supplied bats and balls may be used during the games.
  • Players may bring their own bats for the home run derby but they must be wiffle ball bats; no wood or metal bats allowed.
  • Cleats and spikes are not allowed. Baseball mitts are not allowed. Batting gloves may be used for hitting, but you must bring your own.

Rules

  • Umpires will be furnished for each game.
  • Normal baseball rules apply except as set forth below.
  • 4 balls for a walk, 3 strikes for an out. Unlimited foul balls. A foul tip on strike 3 that hits the strike board will be strike 3. Batters hit by a pitch is a ball and batter does not advance to first base.
  • Pitchers must pitch from the back of the pitching circle (at least one foot must be touching the back of the circle).
  • The strike zone will be determined solely by a pitch that hits the strike board.
  • The catcher will not stand behind the plate, but rather next to the strike board.
  • No leadoffs – base runners must remain at their base until the batter hits the ball – no stealing or taking base on passed balls.
  • “Pitcher’s hand out” and normal baseball rules apply to outs. Runner to first base will be out if the ball is returned to the pitcher, but only if the pitcher has at least one foot within the pitching circle before the runner reaches first base.  Other base runners cannot be out by the pitcher’s hand. Runners can also be forced or tagged out.
  • Runners may also be “pegged:” if a fielder throws the ball at a runner, and hits the runner when he/she is not on base, the runner will be out.
  • Once the pitcher has the ball and is on or inside the pitching circle, runners cannot advance, but if a runner has left the base they are allowed to try to advance to the next base only.
  • Runners must avoid contact with the fielders; any contact by a baserunner with a fielder results in the runner being called out.
  • Foul balls going outside the playing field into an adjacent field are not playable. Foul balls not in an adjacent field may be played while in the air. Fielders may not contact another player or a fan to catch a foul ball.
  • No infield fly rule.
  • No bunting – any attempted bunt or a bunt with less than two strikes is a strike and batter and baserunners cannot advance. Any attempted bunt or bunt with two strikes, the batter is out and the baserunners cannot advance.
  • No stalling – the umpire has discretion to penalize those who delay the game to run out the clock.
  • “NO MOUTH” rule: this is meant to be a fun tournament, smile and bite your lip!  Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.
  • NO ALCOHOL is allowed at the event.

Playoff Tiebreaker

  • For divisions with 6 teams, if there is a tie in the won-loss record of the pool, the tiebreaker will be decided by run differential.

Home Run Derby Rules

The team in each division that raised the most money by the cutoff time on the day of the tournament will compete in the Home Run Derby. The teammates will compete against each other, and there will be one Home Run Derby winner from each division.

  • A designated pitcher will be provided.
  • The Home Run Derby will consist of 2 rounds.
  • In the first round, each player will get to hit as many home runs as they can, before they make 7 outs.
  • An out is any swing that does not result in a home run over the fence.
  • If the batter does not swing at a pitch, it does not count as an out.
  • The 2 players (or more, if players are tied for second place) who hit the most home runs in the first round will advance to the Championship round.
  • In the Championship round, each player will get to hit as many home runs as they can, before making 7 outs.
  • The batter who hits the most home runs in the Championship round wins.
  • If there is a tie, there will be a sudden “victory” round, with each batter getting 1 swing at a time, until a winner is produced.

Thank you to our 2023 Sponsors

Platinum ($5,000+)
Timothy McKernan

Silver ($1,000 – $2,499)
Mel & Sheila Smith
John & Lori Wilcox

 

Bronze ($250-$999)
Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists
Jennifer Abernathy
Best Dedicated Solutions
Burnett Dane Funeral Home
Gibson Steigauf, Ltd. (Scott Gibson)
JMR Landscaping
Joe & Julie Morrison
Tom & Mary Ellen Murphy
Ob-Gyne Associates of Libertyville
O’Donnell Law Firm, Ltd.
Patricia Santana
Glenn & Colleen Weiglein

Space prohibits naming all the donations under $250. We sincerely thank all our donors.

Food
Austin’s Saloon & Eatery
Bagels By The Book
Hitz Pizza & Sports Bar
Jimmy’s Charhouse
Mickey Finn’s Brewery
Sunset Foods Libertyville

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