Ejected Player - Lineup going forward - USSSA

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Jul 10, 2017
1
0
Situation:

Home team presents lineup card with 11 batters, which included two AP's. The team had no other subs.

In the top of the first inning - catcher is ejected for un-sportsmen conduct (lowered shoulder into on coming running while making tag). She was in the fourth batting position.

Should that be an automatic out going forward?
Can she just be marked through and the other player move up in order?

The USSSA rule book doesn't appear to cover this that I can find.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
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Automatic out if a sub is not available. This prevents lineup manipulation with regards to sick/injured/ejected players.
 
Mar 26, 2013
1,934
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The USSSA rule book doesn't appear to cover this that I can find.
It's in RULE 5. PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTES:

Sec 2. PLAYINg SHORT is an exception to Rule 5.1 above . A team shall be allowed to play with one or more batting position(s) unfilled providing they have a minimum of 8 players. The batting position(s) the team cannot fill shall be designated as the absent player(s). When the absent player(s) is scheduled to bat, an out shall be declared for each turn at bat. A team may play short under the following circumstances:
A. A team may continue a game with less players than are currently in the batting order whenever a player leaves the game for any reason and no substitutes are available. If a team falls below 8 players, a forfeit will be declared.
 
Mar 14, 2017
453
43
Michigan
Additional Players. Just think of them as Designated Hitters that can also play the field. It's a USSSA only thing. Where it gets weird is that you can DP/Flex AND have two AP's if I recall correctly.

I'm clearly unfamiliar with USSSA, so humor me, but are they considered playing short if they have 10 players? I'm basing this off of other continuous line-up rules I've seen, and an out is not awarded because they are still at least 9 batters. When you get to 8 then the out is assigned.

Thanks for educating me.
 
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
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In rule sets that allow the team to bat more than 9 and there are no available subs to fill a spot vacated by an ejection, injury etc it is an out when that players empty batting spot comes up. Some rec leagues etc will make it where it is only an out the first time through, but every other rule set I am aware of it is an out every time that spot comes up. Its meant to be a fairly severe penalty so the rule cannot be abused. It would be very convenient to suddenly have an injury to a player who was not hitting very well and just be able to skip over them without some ramification. In the case of USA it is meant to be even more severe in the case of an ejection because the team cannot continue to play shorthanded due to an ejection.
 
Jun 1, 2013
847
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Additional Players. Just think of them as Designated Hitters that can also play the field. It's a USSSA only thing. Where it gets weird is that you can DP/Flex AND have two AP's if I recall correctly.

That's correct, except now ASA will also allow you to bat 11 in pool play.
 
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
That's correct, except now ASA will also allow you to bat 11 in pool play.

Unless they have changed it recently, (and its USA now), allows the entire lineup to bat in pool play. Elimination play goes back to strictly 9 batters.
 
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