🌟🌟 Beehive's Golden Rules 🌟🌟

Be nice to each other,

Be nice to your referees,

Show up on-time, 

Know the rules.

New (and often confused) Rules in 2025!

• A ball that is ON the first or third base line is considered fair, however a ball that is ON the bunt box line is considered foul.
• If double contact on the kicking leg in one motion occurs, that kick will be considered legal. Any other double contact within the kicking zone will be a dead ball foul.
• To end a live ball play,  the ball must be returned to ANY FIELD PLAYER within the pitching mound and held.
• Pitching must be underhanded (ball released below the elbow).
• **NEW**No two males may kick in a row with one exception. One time during the game the kicking team may elect to use two male kickers in a row. The team must notify the referee they are electing to use two consecutive male kickers and the next male in the batting order must be the kicker used.

Your Team

• All players must be 18 years of age or older.
• Teams are allowed to have a maximum of 10 players on the field, with a minimum of 4 females on the field at any given time. One player must play catcher and one player must pitch. Beyond that, positions are up to you.
• In the event a team has less than 10 players, at least 2 must be female. If a team does not have at least 7 players (ex. 5 guys, 2 girls) 10 minutes into the game they forfeit.
• During regular season and playoffs - The home team is determined by a rock, paper, scissors battle (best of one) between the two team captains.
• The field lineup can change as frequently as a team desires.

The Field

All fields will consist of a baseball diamond with a couple twists. There will be two bases at 1st and home plate to provide runners with an outside run through base. This is to avoid collisions at these bases. In addition, there is a bunt line. The bunt line is a drawn box between home plate and the pitchers mound. The kicking zone will consist of 2 disc cones roughly 1 foot on each side of home plate.

Game Format

All games will last 50 minutes as timed by the referee.  Referees will give warnings as time runs, and will provide the time remaining whenever asked. At the end of the 50 minute time, the full inning will be played out so that each team will kick an equal number of times over the course of the entire game. (Note: As in baseball, if the team batting at the bottom of the inning is leading, the last turn of kicking will not be played). If no winner emerges, the game will end in a tie during the regular season. In the playoffs, if a game ends in a tie after time has expired, full innings will be played to determine a winner. The team which ends a full inning with a lead will win the game.

Game Play

Pitching/Catching

The strike zone for all games will be roughly 1 foot left and right of the home plate. This will be indicated by 2 saucer cones placed on either side of home plate.  

To be considered a "Strike" the ball must...

• Travel between the two cones (middle of the ball, middle of the cone and in)
• Remain below the knee while traveling through the kicking zone
• Bounce twice before reaching the front of home plate or be rolling

To be considered a "Ball" the ball must...

• Bounce at or above the knee while traveling through the kicking zone
• Bounce fewer than two times before reaching the front of home plate
• Travel outside of the cones

To be considered a "Foul" the ball must...

• Be kicked and roll or bounce into foul territory before reaching first or third base, and be contacted in foul territory or pass first or third in foul territory. (Ex. If a ball starts fair and rolls foul before first or third it will be foul. If a ball starts foul and rolls fair before first or third, it will be fair.)
• Be kicked in the air and land in foul territory past first or third base
• Be kicked and fail to leave the bunt box before being contacted
• Be kicked and make contact with another part of the kickers body within the kicking zone (If double contact on the kicking leg in one motion occurs, that kick will be considered legal. Any other double contact within the kicking zone will be a dead ball foul.)

**A ball that is ON the first or third base line is considered fair, however a ball that is ON the bunt box line is considered foul.**

If a pitch goes over a cone, it will be the referees discretion as to whether it was inside or outside of the direct center of the cone. The referee will have final say on what is kickable. If a pitcher continues to pitch un-kickable balls they may be changed by their team at any time.

The pitcher is the only field player who may advance past the pitching line before the ball is kicked. The pitcher may advance to but not enter the bunt box before the ball is kicked. Once the ball is kicked, any player may enter any area of the field including the bunt box. If a player, other than the pitcher, advances past the pitching line before the ball is kicked, a warning to that team will be issued. If this persists, a walk will be issued to the kicker. 

The catcher must stand behind home plate and within or behind the kicking zone (this means they can have one foot even with the first or third base line, but can not be further outside of that). The catcher can not interfere with the kick. On a play at home, the catcher will go to the inside plate in order to record an out (this out will always be a force).
 

To end a live ball play,  the ball must be returned to ANY FIELD PLAYER within the pitching mound and held. If the player makes a play after, the play will still be live. (Ex. The ball is thrown to a player on the pitchers mound, and then that players throws the ball to third base.) Once the referee calls the play dead, it is dead. 

Pitching

• Switch Pitching will be in effect (guys pitch to guys and gals pitch to gals) for all divisions. Exception: A gal can pitch to anyone.
• Pitching must be underhanded (below the elbow) and kickable (reasonable speed, bouncing below the knees).

Ball and Strike Count 

The pitch count goes as such: 2 strikes and you are out, 3 balls and you draw a walk. The first foul with no previous strikes, will result in a strike. The second strike however requires 2 fouls. A strike for the second strike results in an out regardless of the cause of the first strike.

To put that in simpler terms:

• 1 strike then 2 fouls is an out
• 3 fouls is an out
• 1 foul then 1 strike is an out

The referee will help remind any new kickers if they are having problems knowing where they are at in the count. It can be a bit tricky at first. 

If the ball is caught in foul territory, even if the foul would have resulted in the third strike, the play remains live. If a strikeout is called because the kicked ball fails to exit the bunt box, the ball is dead. After any live ball play, once the ball returns to the pitchers mound the play is dead.

Kicking

• No two males may kick in a row with one exception. One time during the game the kicking team may elect to use two male kickers in a row. The team must notify the referee they are electing to use two consecutive male kickers and the next male in the batting order must be the kicker used. Females may kick consecutively (while still in order relative to other females to accommodate this rule). The kicking lineup may not change once the game has started, unless an injury occurs.
• A ball that does not pass through the front two cones (ie, a ball) may still be kicked
• If a ball is kicked before it reaches the cones, the kickers entire plant foot may not be further than the front of home plate. If this occurs, it will result in a dead ball rekick.
• Designated runners: If a player is injured, either on the play or cannot run but can kick, a designated runner may be selected for them. The DR must be of the same gender as the kicker and must start their run outside of the kickers box and even with the third base line.
• There is a bunt line. The bunt line is a drawn box between home plate and the pitchers mound. Should a ball be fielded before exiting this box, or contacted before exiting this box, it will be a foul ball and the at bat will continue. 

Running the Bases

• Runners must touch the outside base at home to record a run. The run through base on first is provided for close plays at first, it is acceptable to forgo this base as a runner and touch the inside base to continue on to 2nd if there is no play at first base. The first base fielder must not reach across the run through base, and must allow space for the runner to round first on the inside base when there is not play at the base. The runner must use the run through base when there is a play at first.
• Runners must run along the baseline without obstruction by field players. If a runner is obstructed, they will be safe at the base to which they are running and the field player will receive a warning. If a field player is making a play on the ball in the baseline, the runner must avoid the fielding player. If a runner obstructs the fielding player, the runner will be out.
• A runner is out when they are tagged in any fashion by the ball in play. Tagging a runner above the shoulders will result in that player being safe. If a runner ducks down such that their head is below the standing height of their shoulders, the player will be out. A tag above the shoulders from a deflected ball thrown by a field player, will result in the runner being safe. A tag above the shoulders from the kick will result in an out.
• No sliding or diving is tolerated. The runner who slides will be called out if the slide is deemed intentional. If a slide is deemed overly aggressive (cleats up, into a player with intent) that player will be out and/or potentially suspended for the game.
• No runner will be allowed to steal or lead off from a base before the ball is contacted by the current kicker. If this occurs, the referee will preemptively call the play dead and a warning to the team will be issued. If this persists, the runner will be called out.
• A runner may not knock a ball loose from a player with any kind of physical contact.
• Tagging up is allowed once the ball has been touched by the person attempting to catch it.
• Once a fielder regains control of the ball in the pitching mound, if the runner is not farther than halfway to the next base they must return to the previous base. If the runner is past half way, they may continue to the next base. This is to be determined by the referee.
• The commit line is the point at which the bunt box connects to the third base line. If a runner crosses this line, they must continue home and the play will be a force out. 

Forceouts

Forceouts occur when a field player steps on the base a runner is forced to advance to. If a force out occurs for the third out of the inning, no runs scored on the play will count unless the third out occurs at home (previously scored runs will count).

Overthrow Rules

• If a ball is overthrown, but remains in the field of play, runners may continue to run freely.
• If a ball is overthrown out of the field of play by at least 10 feet, runners are only allowed a maximum of 1 base. This is to be determined by the position of the runner when the ball exits play.

Infield Fly Rule (All divisions)

The infield fly rule is only possible when there is a force at third (bases loaded or runners on 1st and 2nd) and fewer than two outs. In this situation, if there is a pop up on the infield that the referee determines to be catchable, the kicker is automatically out and the runners may not advance. 

Mercy Rule

If a team goes up by more than 15 runs, the other team gets extra outs the next time they bat.

• For each run over 15, they get one extra out. Example: If Team A is winning by 18 runs, Team B gets 6 outs (instead of 3).

The maximum number of outs is 8. This means a team can only lead by 20 runs before their at bat is over.

Once a team reaches a 20-run lead, their at bat ends immediately — they can't keep scoring.

After that, while the leading team is up 15-20 runs, they can only score a maximum of 5 runs per inning.

If there are less than 5 minutes left in the game, the trailing team is limited to just 3 outs

.

This rule does not apply in playoff games.

Other rules 
 

• We are required by law to inform you, that No Alcohol is permitted on park lands by the State of Utah. Keep our streets honest!!
• Team Captains are responsible for controlling the behavior of their teams
• The umpire has final ruling
• No metal cleats are allowed. Closed toed shoes only.
• We have a NO TOLERANCE policy for rude or unsportsmanlike behavior from any one participating in a Beehive sport.
• We are all here to have fun so keep it social!

Substitute Players

Subs are welcome to join Beehive during the regular season for up to 3 weeks. They can fill in for any reason without needing to notify us. Just show up with a good attitude and a basic knowledge of the rules. 

If they wish to continue playing they need to join the roster by registering on the website. No, we don't have an enforcement mechanism for this except our trust in your human integrity.

During the playoffs the following stipulations will be strictly observed:

• You must have all playoff subs approved before the start of playoffs. (This means your team should have a chat before the playoffs to ascertain if/when roster players aren't going to make games so the captain can find subs/contact the league with appropriate requests).

• There is a limit on the number of subs that you may request (Kickball/Softball/Flag Football - 3 subs; Soccer/Dodgeball/Sand Volleyball/Indoor Volleyball/Futsal/Basketball - 2 subs; Cornhole/Darts/Pickleball - No subs are allowed).

• You cannot request subs if you have enough rostered players to field a team. For example: Kickball is a 10v10 sport. If you have 14 players on your kickball roster and 4 are injured, you cannot request subs as you still have 10 (enough to field a full team). If you have 11 on your kickball roster and 3 are injured, you may request 2 subs so that you have 10 players.

• Teams found to be in violation of any substitute player rules here can be retroactively forfeited from advancing (ie we find out after your first round game but before your second round game that you violated the rules, the team you beat will advance in your place).

• In the past, subs would only be approved for injury and illness. Now, subs will be approved for whatever reason you deem them necessary (work trips, concerts, weddings, etc all fine).

• The season being extended due to inclement weather doesn't change any of the other substitute player stipulations listed here.

• Approved subs (or your rostered players) must be used the entirety of the playoffs (you can't have Jane and Sally sub the first week of playoffs and Joan and Sarah the second week of playoffs).