Bucketmom
Psycho for softball!
Can one of you please tell me the rule on dropped third strike, 1st base occupied when It's an out when It's not an out Ect?
ASA rule on dropped 3rd strike.
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On an uncaught third strike, it is always an out with a runner on first unless there are two outs then the ball is live and the defense must record an out.
- Jun 24, 2013
- 425
- 0
I always teach my girls to run towards first on their 3rd strike and 4th ball that way they are always in motion in that direction. The 1st base coach will call them off if is not a DTS. I see too many young girls standing there flabbergasted trying to figure out whether to run or return to the dugout amongst the alternating cheers of "RUN! RUN" "TAG HER!" "RUN!" "THROW IT!". Get them headed that way and let the coach help them out. I also came up with the idea of a "Bat Coffin" which is a place down the 1st base line in foul territory for them to put their bat in as they run towards 1st. It helps out with bat interference and also gets them turning their bodies towards first every time they run to first. It also eliminates the habit of wanting to chunk the bat back towards the dugout when they get ball 4.
To help the younger players learn about the DTS I came up with the scissors sign to use when DTS applied. If we were at bat, after the 2nd strike I would call the batters name and flash the scissors sign. Then they knew that the DTS was on and they had to run hard when they heard strike. When on defense I would flash the same sign to my catcher and 1B. 1B would then flash it to RF so they would be coming in to back up the throw. They should be coming to backup anyway, but it helped remind them that there may actually be a throw coming from the catcher and to back up the throw from that angle, not from the angle of a throw to 1st from another fielder. It worked out pretty good as the young catchers would also work harder to try to catch the ball or block a passed ball if the girl swung anyways. It also helped out with bases loaded and 2 outs, they knew they just had to touch home plate instead of make the throw to 1st.
Hopefully you will only have to use this in 10U and 12U. By 14U the players should be aware of DTS and what to do in those situations.
David actually made it very easy to understand. Always out on 3rd stike(dropped or not) if someone's on 1st, unless 2 outs.
To help the younger players learn about the DTS I came up with the scissors sign to use when DTS applied. If we were at bat, after the 2nd strike I would call the batters name and flash the scissors sign. Then they knew that the DTS was on and they had to run hard when they heard strike. When on defense I would flash the same sign to my catcher and 1B. 1B would then flash it to RF so they would be coming in to back up the throw. They should be coming to backup anyway, but it helped remind them that there may actually be a throw coming from the catcher and to back up the throw from that angle, not from the angle of a throw to 1st from another fielder. It worked out pretty good as the young catchers would also work harder to try to catch the ball or block a passed ball if the girl swung anyways. It also helped out with bases loaded and 2 outs, they knew they just had to touch home plate instead of make the throw to 1st.
Hopefully you will only have to use this in 10U and 12U. By 14U the players should be aware of DTS and what to do in those situations.
David actually made it very easy to understand. Always out on 3rd stike(dropped or not) if someone's on 1st, unless 2 outs.
You would not believe the trouble I've seen with this rule the last couple weeks.!
Bucketmom
Psycho for softball!
Two nights in a row we had trouble with it. Mon night our girls were headed back to the dugout and the other team scored 2 runs with the game ball sitting in on the ground in the circle. I am at every practice and every game so if it confuses me I'm going to guess It's doing the same to our girls. I think they need to understand the rule and like suggested have a signal from coach to remind them of the play.
- Jun 24, 2013
- 1,057
- 36
One thing you need to do is train your C to know the rules, not on purpose but last night with base loaded and 1 out our batter-runner ran to 1st on a dropped 3rd strike. C throws the ball down to 1st and we scored a couple runs. The batter was out because 1st was occupied, with less than 2 outs, and the throw should not have been made.
We also have a young Team and teach the batter to run on all dropped 3rd strikes, we will sort the rules out latter so the C needs to know what is going on.
We also have a young Team and teach the batter to run on all dropped 3rd strikes, we will sort the rules out latter so the C needs to know what is going on.
It happens both ways runner runs with 1B occupied and gets throw out and since batter is already out double play......and the opposite C throws down to 1B when they don't need to and team scores two or three runs on an overthrow.
We just used a color signal says "green" any time you want the batter running or "red" anytime they don't need to run usually called out at same time 3B coach is giving signs.
We just used a color signal says "green" any time you want the batter running or "red" anytime they don't need to run usually called out at same time 3B coach is giving signs.
I saw an interesting drop 3K last week in a 10U game. Batter checked swing on ball in dirt. HPU appealed to BU who ruled swinging strike 3. C never saw BU ruling since back was turned getting ball from back stop. B started walking to first then eventually jogged while C threw to P who looked very confused and 1B never covered first. Had no effect on the game outcome but strange sequence.
Bucketmom
Psycho for softball!
If you have a runner on 1b she will stealing 2b anytime C drops the ball so if c drops third strike 1b isn't technically occupied because that runner is running to steal 2b. How do they determine that?
