Setup
Players
- 6-12
Materials
- Wiffle Ball
- Wiffle Ball Bat
- Bases
- Open space or a makeshift baseball diamond
Scoring
- Points are scored as runners cross home plate.
Additional Setup Notes
- Wiffle ball can be played with varying team sizes, but a standard game often involves at least two teams of three to five players each. The field setup is flexible and can be adjusted based on the available space. Players may choose to use bases, or they can establish imaginary bases such as trees, rocks, or other landmarks.
Objective
On Offense:
The primary objective for the offensive team is to hit the wiffle ball into play and advance around the bases, ultimately returning to home plate to score runs. Players aim to avoid getting tagged by the defensive team while running the bases.
On Defense:
Defensive players aim to prevent runs by catching the wiffle ball in the air or by tagging out offensive players as they attempt to advance around the bases. The defensive team must strategize and work together to limit the offensive team’s scoring opportunities.
Gameplay
Wiffle ball shares similarities with traditional baseball however, the pitcher stands only 35-45 feet away from the batter when pitching.
One of the defining features of wiffle ball is the unpredictable movement of the ball due to the perforations on one side. Pitchers can manipulate the flight path of the ball, making it curve, dip, or rise, adding an element of surprise to the game.
Running the Bases:
- If the batter successfully hits the wiffle ball, they become a base runner.
- Runners must navigate around the bases in a counter-clockwise direction.
- The offensive team scores a run when a runner completes the circuit and touches home plate.
Outs:
- Outs can occur through various means, such as catching the wiffle ball in the air or tagging a runner.
- Players who are caught out return to the designated “out” area.
Strikes and Balls:
- A strike occurs when a batter swings at a ball and misses, when the wiffle ball hits the strike zone, or when a batter hits the ball but it first touches the ground outside the baselines.
- A ball occurs when the batter does not swing and the pitch is outside the strike zone.
- Three strikes and the batter is out, four balls and the batter gets a free base. A third strike cannot be called on a foul ball
Home Runs:
- Some variations of wiffle ball include designated home run areas, where hitting the wiffle ball results in an automatic home run. This should be a difficult but manageable distance in the outfield
- Runners on base also score when a home run is hit.
Endgame
Games of wiffle ball typically have 5, 7, or 9 innings. One inning of whiffle ball is a segment of the game during which both teams have a turn at offense and defense. The team with the most points after your designated number of innings wins the game.
