Hit By Pitch Ruling

[mg0403]

Had a situation this past weekend. Batter used her hand to block a pitch in a 16u USSSA game. The ball was clearly going to hit her in the head. Umpire called it a strike and didn’t give her the base. She was called out on next pitch looking at strike 3. Was this call correct??

 

[marriard]

If the ball was in the strike zone or she used her hand to stop it entering the strike zone, then it is a dead ball 'strike'.
Otherwise it is a dead ball "ball"

 

[Sweet Lou]

Well unless she was sticking her head in the strike zone, the correct call was not made.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Maybe the umpire thought it was a foul ball ... I mean, since the hands are part of the bat and all ...


@marriard is correct since the batter moved into the pitch, even if it was a defensive move. Unfortunately, I've seen some umpires award the hit by pitch on that ...

 

[CoachJD]

Maybe the umpire thought it was a foul ball ... I mean, since the hands are part of the bat and all ...


@marriard is correct since the batter moved into the pitch, even if it was a defensive move. Unfortunately, I've seen some umpires award the hit by pitch on that ...

I have only one time seen it ruled correctly (a ball, in that case). I see inexperienced players taking their hands off the bat and putting it in front of the ball all the time. I've never understood why the HBP was awarded when the batter caused it (even though, like you said, it's a defensive act).

I feel like this is one of those where the umpires who award the HBP incorrectly aren't going to budge if I try to talk to them about it.

 

[CoachCeetar]

can anyone cite the/a specific rule/wording for this? (I'd look myself but it's all seemingly pay-walled)

 

[marriard]

can anyone cite the/a specific rule/wording for this? (I'd look myself but it's all seemingly pay-walled)

Every rule book has a rule that says something along the lines of |:

• It can't be a hit-by-pitch if the batter moves into the ball.​
• It is a dead ball if during the pitch the ball contacts the batter​
• It is a strike if the ball crosses the strike zone or if the ball is prevented from entering the strike zone​
• It is a ball if the pitch doesn't pass through he strike zone and the batter doesn't swing.​

 

[CoachCeetar]

Every rule book has a rule that says something along the lines of |:

• It can't be a hit-by-pitch if the batter moves into the ball.​
• It is a dead ball if during the pitch the ball contacts the batter​
• It is a strike if the ball crosses the strike zone or if the ball is prevented from entering the strike zone​
• It is a ball if the pitch doesn't pass through he strike zone and the batter doesn't swing.​

The very first result on google is from collegesoftballumpirse.org stating as long as the batter is in the box and doesn't swing the bat, if she's hit, it's a HBP.

 

[Comp]

The very first result on google is from collegesoftballumpirse.org stating as long as the batter is in the box and doesn't swing the bat, if she's hit, it's a HBP.

Dont use google for rules and never use college rules for anything but college. NCAA rules are very different from every other ruleset.

Different rulesets have different rules on HBP. Most rulesets now state if the ball is entirely inside the batters box, the batter does not have to make an attempt to avoid the pitch. However, if the ball is not entirely inside the batters box and the batter makes no attempt to avoid the pitch it is considered a deliberate attempt to be hit and will not be awarded first base and a ball will be awarded to the batter, assuming the ball was not in the strike zone or prevented from entering the strike zone. In every ruleset, if the batter intentionally attempts to be hit by the pitch they are not awarded first base. In every ruleset if the batter prevents the pitch from entering the strike zone, it is a dead ball strike. USA softball still requires a batter to attempt to avoid the pitch regardless of where the ball is.

Without seeing where the pitch was and what your batter did its impossible to tell you if the call was correct or not. I have had batters get hit in the head and I did not award them first base because they had their head hanging over the plate where it shouldnt have been. It was not a strike, but it also was not anywhere a batter in a normal batting stance should have been hit.

 

[CoachCeetar]

Dont use google for rules and never use college rules for anything but college. NCAA rules are very different from every other ruleset.

in the absence of any other information.. Our league defaults to "NJ Highschool rules" but nowhere does it provide access to those. We actually had a similar situation where one of our batters swatted at the ball in defense, and got awarded first base and the other team complained to the ump about it.

I was just curious about the specific wording, in reference to a "defensive act" mentioned above. imo, a defensive act of flinching at the pitch seems like enough indication that were not intending to get hit and therefore should get first base (assuming not a strike, swing)