Someone's picked to be IT. They run for the ball; everyone else scatters (one kick each to send the ball further).
IT grabs the ball and calls STOP (a button, or shout it). Everyone freezes.
Frozen, you may plant a foot, once per STOP, and spin around it to dodge. That foot stays down until the ball lands. Or duck, without lifting a foot: under a fastball, not a lob.
IT holds to charge, then swipes: straight for a fastball, an arc for a curveball round the tree, a scoop for a lob over the hedge or the woodpile, or stops dead before letting go to pump-fake. Hit before the ball touches the ground: you're IT, and knocked flying (the further ahead you were, the further you fly). Otherwise everyone runs again.
Fewest times IT wins (a tie: less time spent IT). Or play by backyard rules: no winner, just the round-up.