Mercy Rule Question

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Apr 25, 2013
4
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I have a High School Fastpitch scoring decision for winning pitcher. We're Home team. Mercy rule is 10 after 5 inn. Scenerio: Starter goes 3 innings and were up 10-0. Reliever comes in Top of 4 gives up 3 runs. Game ends after 5 1/2 score 13-3. Who is the winning pitcher. Both girls pitched 3 innings but starteer didn't go 4 inn. Mercy rule states winning pitcher only has to go 3 inninings if the game ends @ 4 1/2? Anyone know? Thanks for the help.
 
Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
I have a High School Fastpitch scoring decision for winning pitcher. We're Home team. Mercy rule is 10 after 5 inn. Scenerio: Starter goes 3 innings and were up 10-0. Reliever comes in Top of 4 gives up 3 runs. Game ends after 5 1/2 score 13-3. Who is the winning pitcher. Both girls pitched 3 innings but starteer didn't go 4 inn. Mercy rule states winning pitcher only has to go 3 inninings if the game ends @ 4 1/2? Anyone know? Thanks for the help.

You must have typed that in a hurry. Both pitchers went 3 innings, but game ended at 5 1/2??

If the starting pitcher pitches HALF the innings in this game, she gets the win. The relief pitcher wouldn't get a save, she doesn't meet the criteria needed. ( I'm assuming relief only pitched 2 innings since the game was done in 5.5 )
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
You must have typed that in a hurry. Both pitchers went 3 innings, but game ended at 5 1/2??

If the starting pitcher pitches HALF the innings in this game, she gets the win. The relief pitcher wouldn't get a save, she doesn't meet the criteria needed. ( I'm assuming relief only pitched 2 innings since the game was done in 5.5 )

By 5.5 innings, he means that the home team did not bat in the bottom of the 6th. I had to put on my thinking cap for that one too.

According to these NCAA rules, the starting pitcher can't get the win unless she pitches 4 innings total.

Bad rule, IMO, but that's how it reads. What GD suggests makes more sense.

I doubt that there are any official high school rules since the national high school federation does not require that schools keep stats. There must be an official scorekeeper for every game, but it's not required that anyone keep statistics and determine a winning or losing pitcher. It's possible that a particular state might have a set of rules.
 
Apr 25, 2013
4
0
Sorry I stated it wrong! they did both pitch 3 inn. We were home team starter pitched 1,2,3 and reliever pitched 4,5,6, we scored the 13th run in bot 6 with no outs. so I thought game went 5 1/2 inn. but I guess it went 6 inn with no outs recorded. So the key here is since both girls pitched the same amount 3 inn apeice. Then the win still goes to the starter? even though in a regular 7 inning game a pitcher must pitch 4 inn. to qualify for the win.

Mercy rule game with 5 innings winning pitcher must pitch 3 inn?
Mercy rule game with 6 innings winning pitcher must pitch 3 inn or half?
Regulation Game with 7 innings winning pitcher must pitch 4 inn?
all this correct?
 
Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
By 5.5 innings, he means that the home team did not bat in the bottom of the 6th. I had to put on my thinking cap for that one too.

Coogansbluff, bare with me for some reason I can't "wake up" today. Lol

The run rule should be 10 after 5, so once the visitors batted in the top of the 5th, that's ball game.

Fed rules only state the starter must pitch "half" the innings in a game. Sounds like she pitched 3, which is more than half. Let me see if I can find some fed PDF rules.

EDIT: Just saw OP new post.
 
Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
Sorry I stated it wrong! they did both pitch 3 inn. We were home team starter pitched 1,2,3 and reliever pitched 4,5,6, we scored the 13th run in bot 6 with no outs. so I thought game went 5 1/2 inn. but I guess it went 6 inn with no outs recorded. So the key here is since both girls pitched the same amount 3 inn apeice. Then the win still goes to the starter? even though in a regular 7 inning game a pitcher must pitch 4 inn. to qualify for the win.

Mercy rule game with 5 innings winning pitcher must pitch 3 inn?
Mercy rule game with 6 innings winning pitcher must pitch 3 inn or half?
Regulation Game with 7 innings winning pitcher must pitch 4 inn?
all this correct?

Yes starter gets the win, half the game's innings.

I believe the relief now gets credit for a save. "3 effective innings".

I can't find fed rules, I'll keep looking.
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
GOINGDEEP is correct. The starter would get the win in this case. I didn't realize that the national federation had rules about scoring/statistics.

High school rules state:

a. The starting pitcher is credited with a win in the following circumstances:
1. When she pitches at least half of the innings in the game and her team
stays ahead for the remainder of the game.

The starter in this example pitched 3 of the 6 innings.

HS RULES
 
Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
ART. 6 . . . Winning and losing pitchers are determined as follows:
a. The starting pitcher is credited with a win in the following circumstances:
1. When she pitches at least half of the innings in the game and her team stays ahead for the remainder of the game.
2. When she pitches the required number of innings, her team is ahead or tied when she is replaced, she re-enters the game with her team behind, and her team subsequently recaptures the lead.
NOTE: A pitcher cannot receive credit for a save if she receives the win.

b. The relief pitcher is credited with a win in the following circumstances:
1. The starting pitcher did not pitch the required number of innings, or her
team fell behind.
2. The relief pitcher who pitches most effectively after the starting pitch-
er did not pitch the required number of innings, more than one relief
pitcher was used and the lead was never lost.
3. The relief pitcher was the pitcher of record when her team gained the
lead and stayed in the lead.
4. A relief pitcher left the pitching position while the score was tied or her
team was behind, and she re-entered as the pitcher and regained the
lead.
c. Ifa pitcher is replaced by a pinch hitter or a pinch runner, the runs scored
by the team during the inning of removal are to be credited to that pitcher’s
benefit for deciding the pitcher of record when the team takes the lead.
d. A pitcher shall be charged with the loss when the team is behind or falls behind because of runs assessed to that pitcher and the team does not sub-
sequently tie the score nor take the lead.
e. A pitcher cannot be given credit for pitching a shutout if the pitcher does
not pitch the complete game, unless the player enters the game with no one out before the opponents have scored in the first inning and she does not permit the opposition to score during the game.

ART. 7 . . . In order for a pitcher to be credited with a save, she shall meet all three of the following criteria:
a. she is the last pitcher in a game won by her team; and
b. she is not the winning pitcher; and
c. she meets at least one of the following:
1. she enters the game with a lead of not more than three runs and pitch- es at least one inning; or
2. she enters the game, regardless of the count on the batter, with the potential tying run either on base, at bat or on deck; or
3. she pitches effectively for at least three innings.
 

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