Why I am posting this in the pitchers forum will become clear. It is spring break in SoCal and my DD's travel team arranged a competitive scrimmage for this morning with a nearby travel team, umps and all. The Santa Ana winds started blowing overnight and at game time they were sustained at 15 - 20 mph with gusts in the 25- 35 mph range. It was the 3rd inning with 1 out and my DD on the mound with runners on 1st and 2nd. As she is in the process of delivering a pitch a strong gust blows across the infield, picks up the dirt and blows a dust cloud directly into my DDs face. She contorts like a Cirque du Soleil performer and proceeds to deliver the pitch directly into the back of her left leg. The pitch bounces off her leg straight to my SS. The runners froze not sure exactly what just happened. My SS alertly tagged the runner off of 2nd and threw done to first getting that runner diving back to the base. Best part? As my DD and the SS are running off the field my DD turns to her and says, "just like we practiced".
Most unusual double play I have ever seen
- Thread starter SoCalDad
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That's really funny!
That is a funny story,but what should have happened would be the runners should have advanced one base and a ball awarded to the batter.Rule 6.Section 3.Legal Delivery. G states "The release of the ball and follow through of the hand and wrist must be forward and past the straight line of the body".If the ball had slipped out of her hand the batter would have been given a ball and the runners could advance at their own risk.
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I was a bit unclear on my post as to which leg the ball hit. The ball hit her left leg not the right (she is a righty). What is important to understand is my comment about a contortionist. During the middle of the pitch when the dust hit her in the face she twisted her body so that her left leg was in the air in front of her pointing towards 3rd base. When she released the ball it was forward and past her straight line. As the pitch was released it hit her on the side of her left leg above the knee area. Both the plate and field ump agreed it was a legal forward pitch. If it had hit the back of her right leg the rule you stated would have applied.
- Jul 28, 2008
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Rule 6, Section 11 Dropped ball addresses this and says a ball is awarded on the batter and runners can advance at their own risk. Does not matter where the arm is during the windup when the ball was dropped.
The girls are well coached. They knew that the the ball is live unless the umpire says otherwise!
Shock....kudos to you for using a citation (Rule 6, Section 1) in your reply. Rule citations add credibility to any thread involving playing rule, as we are now all dealing in fact, not opinion or hearsay. However, when citing a rule number you also need to cite the rule set. Especially important in this age of multiple softball governing and sanctioning bodies to numerous to list here.
For the benefit of those reading your reply: folks, Shocker is citing ASA 6.12.
The rule is the same for NCAA (10.7.2) and PONY (7.12)/fast pitch section.
