Official Rules
Schott Classic Rules
Everything you need to know before stepping up to the plate.
60°
Field of View
from Home Plate
75 ft
HR Fence
Home Run distance
30 ft
Pitcher's Mound
from Home Plate
1. Team Setup & Game Play
- Team Composition: 3–5 players, can be co-ed
- Home team determined by coin flip
- 3 players in the field, entire team bats
- DO NOT reach out to catch a ball — automatic strike (or out at 2 strikes)
- Each player can only pitch for 3 outs per game. Reasonable pitch speed (ump discretion). No "Ephesus pitch" (extremely slow high-arcing pitch)
- No gloves allowed
2. What Is a Strike
- Foul tips are strikes
- Ball must end up in strike zone net
- Ball that doesn't clear 15 ft foul line is a foul ball
3. What Is an Out
- Strikeout: Swing and miss on 3rd strike or ball in strike zone net. Cannot strikeout on foul ball.
- Pop Out: Anything caught (fair or foul) is an out.
- Ground Out: Fielder fields ball IN MOTION in singles zone. Bobbles that don't hit the ground still count.
4. Field Play
- Obstructions: balls, buckets, beers hit by a batted ball = automatic single (infield) or double (outfield)
- Same number of players must start and finish the game. Batting out of order = automatic out.
- Umpire has discretion on fielding, fair/foul, foul tips, quick pitches, and pitch speed
5. Player Conduct
- Defense: 3 players on the field. Pitcher's foot must be on the rubber. Fielders can be positioned anywhere.
- Leaning into a pitch = automatic strike (out at 2 strikes)
- 3 warnings for bad behavior, then ejection
- All disputes settled by the umpire — their call is final
6. Tournament Structure
- Pool Play: Every team guaranteed 4 games. Pool play is 4 innings. Tiebreaker: head-to-head, run differential, runs scored, coin flip.
- Bracket Play: All teams advance. Single elimination, 5 innings. Each player must pitch one inning before any player pitches a second.
- Game Length: Pool Play 4 innings, Tournament Play 5 innings.