Slapping: I need some help understanding

obbay · May 17, 2017

I need some help understanding what constitutes a slap and what differentiates it from a drag bunt. (Yes you heard me right).
I thought I knew, but DD's HS team has one kid who can "slap". some/most of the time it looks like a drag bunt. I don't see any swinging going on, which I thought had to happen on a slap.

one time, she was called out on a fouled 3rd strike and the coach argued that she was slapping. I had an excellent view and her bat stayed in one place as she ran forward. it was a good call but now I have to listen to people who don't know the game b*tching that the umpires don't know the game.

what are the rules on this? can someone please enlighten me?
thanks!

joe720 · May 17, 2017

Slapping definitely has a swing involved in it. Either you are driving it down in the dirt or trying to loop it over the infields head. Drag bunt is exactly what it sounds like.

FP26 · May 17, 2017

This was pulled from an NFHS powerpoint I found. But good luck trying to explain this to parents. I learned this year that the rules around illegal pitches have changed. Apparently an illegal pitch is now defined as "any pitch thrown by the opposing pitcher which results in a called strike". Sarcasm off...

Distinguishing between a slap hit and drag bunt is important when batter has two strikes and ball is fouled off.
Batter may be running forward.
Umpire must visualize whether:
Batter holds bat stationary = bunt
Batter moves bat with the wrists = slap hit

TMD · May 17, 2017

As far as I know, there is no official thing called a "drag bunt". In the NCAA rule set, there are just bunts and slaps (plus hits, of course). A bunt is a legally batted ball that is not swung at, but rather is "intentionally tapped" with the bat. A slap, on the other hand is the result of a swing...a short chopping motion, not a full swing. No swing, no slap.

wave_twister · May 17, 2017

I've also seen umpires distinguish bunts between slaps by the position of the hands at contact. Bunt if hands are separated (and obviously in a bunt-like grip) and slap if hands are together. Also, did the batter retract the bat back, like a tap/soft slap. I don't necessarily agree nor disagree with this, but on more than a couple times we've had umpires comment on these differences during a game.

inde53546 · May 17, 2017

ASA rule supplement 10 elements of a check swing /bunt srike
Did the batter roll her wrists
Was the bat out front of her body

Slapping: I need some help understanding

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

obbay

Banned

joe720

FP26

TMD

wave_twister

inde53546

Similar threads

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Share this page

Online statistics

Forum statistics