Foul Tip Clarification

[Scrappers]

USA tournament rules

If there is a foul tip that hits the catcher's mitt first, then is wedged under armpit and secured before hitting the ground. Is this an out? I believe as long as it hits mitt first then caught before touching the ground it's an out, just looking for clarification. It was called a foul ball, the explanation was that it wasn't caught clean. I think the key is hitting the mitt first?



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[jackfrost]

I'll give the ruling in USA softball, although I think the NFHS (high school ruling) is the same.

Foul tip: A batted ball that goes sharply and directly from the bat to the catcher’s hand(s) or glove/mitt and is legally caught by the catcher.

Foul ball: A batted ball that:

• (there are a lot of other definitions of Foul Ball provided but for the sake of comparing to a Foul Tip, this next line item is the most important.)
• Goes directly from the bat to any part of the catcher’s body or equipment and is caught by another fielder.

In other words, if the ball hit the bat and then first touches any part of the catcher other than the mitt or hand, it is a foul ball and not a foul tip. Even if caught before hitting the ground it can not be an out; it is a Foul Ball. However, if it hits the bat then first makes contact with the catcher by contacting the hand or the glove, and is caught, it is a Foul Tip. In the USA softball rule book there is a "Rules Supplement" section that indicates it is still a Foul Tip if it touches other parts of the catcher between the time it touched the glove or hand and the point at which it is finally controlled by the catcher.

Note: If in-between the time the ball touched the mitt/hand and is finally controlled, it hits the ground, umpire or batter, it becomes a foul ball.

Based on your explanation of what occurred, it does seem that this was a Foul Tip, but it is only an out if the Foul Tip was on the 3rd strike. Any other time, a Foul Tip is just a strike and the ball remains live. As long as it did not hit the dirt, batter or umpire between the time it touched the mitt and was eventually caught, it should have been called a Foul Tip and not a Foul Ball.

 

[coach james]

Were there 2 strikes at the time?

 

[Scrappers]

Sorry for not putting in the original post, there were 2 strikes at the time. So based on what I'm seeing it should have been an out.

Sharp/direct hit off bat, followed by direct hit of glove, then caught before hitting the ground.

Thanks

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