ASA- batter out of box before pitcher delivers pitch

[Dabears17]

ASA Rule 7.3.A- Prior to the pitch, batter must have both feet completely within the lines of the batters box. The batter may touch the lines, but no part of the foot maybe outside the lines prior to the pitch.

Situation- RH box line was only 2-3 inches off the plate, not the 6 inches by rule. Other team was crowding the plate, some batters with toes over the barely visible line. My DD threw two pitches inside near arms that are over the plate and the batter doesn't back up. Next pitch my DD hits the girl in the arm. I didn't see the batter get hit, but my DD claims she hit the batter in the strike zone. Of course, the batter got the base.

1) Whats the best way to get an umpire to notice and enforce that prior to the pitch, no part of the foot may be outside the box? Several umpires I've mentioned it to outside of games didn't even realize that being in the box prior to the pitch means no part of foot outside of white line. Quietly have catcher mention it to the umpire every time it happens? Coach mention it during pre-game or call time and bring it up to the PU when they see it?

2) If the batter's box is drawn closer than the 6" what are the chances of getting the umpire to call the batter's box where it should be drawn? There was a thread on this the other week:
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-rules-questions/28129-no-inside-lines-batters-box.html

 

[JAD]

If the opposing team is crowding the plate a good HC will make sure they point it out to the umpire between innings....just a simple "hey blue they are crowding the plate" will usually put the idea in the back of the HP umpires mind to watch for it....and when a batter is hit, the HC needs to come out and question the call just to try to prevent it from happening again.

 

[Cannonball]

First, ask the umpire to mark the appropriate line. Some will and some won't. Next, ask the umpire some simple questions like, "now if that girl is leaning over and in the strike zone and she gets hit, she does not get awarded a base, correct?

 

[Comp]

And, if this was an ASA tournament, ASA still requires an attempt by the batter to avoid the pitch regardless of where the ball is.

 

[BretMan]

Experienced and trained umpires will watch for this and enforce the rule. If your umpires aren't enforcing it, then they're probably neither. So, getting them to enforce it might be a challenge.

An umpire should be approachable enough that a coach can ask him a question to clarify a rule. A coach should be able to ask a question in a civil manner without it being aggressive or confrontational.

Unfortunately, some umpires- especially the inexperienced and untrained ones- take any question as an affront to their authority. They might become defensive just to cover up their lack of rule knowledge.

My advice to a coach that has a question about a rule is...just ask! But be aware, depending on the umpire, your milage might vary...

 

[Ajaywill]

I will usually play the lines where they are drawn...they are the same for both teams. I will (as the umpire) not erase and re-draw a line. If I can locate tournament staff or groundskeepers in a timely manner and have the line redrawn correctly, I will do so.

In this particular situation, it seems to me that there is very little room for an inside pitch that doesn't hit the batter to be called a ball.

The umpire should not allow the pitcher to pitch if the batter is not completely in the batters box. In my experience, this is more of an issue in Slow Pitch than Fast Pitch. There is nothing wrong with the catcher asking the umpire in a respectful manner about the batter being in the box.

 

[InsidePitch]

This happened last night in the Auburn OK game. Late in the game a lefty slapper had the backs of her feet outside of the box. OK said something and the blue instructed her to get completely in the box. Also saw a ball awarded Auburn when the OK pitcher took to long to deliver the pitch.

 

[Rockjerry]

The Auburn girl who made the final out in last nights WCWS game did the same thing but with the line farthest from home. She was a slap hitter so she probably wanted the extra space for her step. It appeared that the umpire made her step in the box before he allowed a pitch. Her heels were definitely outside the box.

 

[NVfishing]

We had a fall tourney where the opposing team was placing their feet a couple inches from the plate. Has DD throw inside. Ump was calling ball but would give us 6" off the outside. I can never figure blue out

 

[MTR]

The Auburn girl who made the final out in last nights WCWS game did the same thing but with the line farthest from home. She was a slap hitter so she probably wanted the extra space for her step. It appeared that the umpire made her step in the box before he allowed a pitch. Her heels were definitely outside the box.

Her heel was usually off the ground which is okay. However, in Shea's last at bat, it looked like she dropped that heel prior to the pitch, which isn't okay.