HBP while slapping ruling?

[Coach JV]

Last week there was a girl on other team attempting to slap,
she was HBP when stepping into pitching lane but in front of batters box.
She was awarded 1B. Is this the correct ruling? Since she was in front of box,
strikezone was not established therefore 1B awarded per PU.

The HBP was a bitter pill to swallow as my pitcher averages
less than 1 BB per 6 innings and I cannot remember when she last
hit a batter with pitch. BU said catcher needs to appeal........ thoughts?

 

[honus14]

Last week there was a girl on other team attempting to slap,
she was HBP when stepping into pitching lane but in front of batters box.
She was awarded 1B. Is this the correct ruling? Since she was in front of box,
strikezone was not established therefore 1B awarded per PU

Never heard that one before . . . if you could get first by just running at the pitch, the body armor people would be happy, but it sure wouldn't be softball!

The umpire gets to judge whether the pitch would have been a strike. And if the batter's running out in front of the plate, I'm pretty likely to judge it a strike. Stay here, strike one.

 

[ASAPAump]

Ruling on the play straight from ASA:

We have had questions on a batter being hit by a pitched ball while being out of the front of the box. In ASA play we have two rules that govern this situation. One rule pertains to the batter being hit with a pitch that is out of the strike zone and the other pertains to the batter being hit by a pitch and preventing that pitch from entering the strike zone. ASA’s rule on preventing the ball from entering the strike zone is different than other organizations, but we feel our rule is consistent with the intent of other rules which pertains to a batter being hit by a pitch.

Play:B6, a slap hitter, is hit by a pitch a) while out of the front of the box and b) while out of the front of the box preventing the ball from entering the strike zone.

Ruling:In (a) the ball is dead and a ball is awarded the batter and in (b) the ball is dead and a strike called on the batter.

Notice in no case is the batter awarded 1B.

from: Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA)