[SRW]

http://spysoftball.com/rule_book.htm

THE RULE BOOK

Readers who were at the game as well as those who watched on ESPN offered divergent rules on bunting vs slapping. As reported in SPY, there were different views in the press box as well. On review, I thought Tara Henry swung, ergo, a foul ball.

Section 19. Bunt: A legally batted ball not swung at but intentionally tapped with the bat.

Section 20. Bunt Attempt: Any non-swinging movement of the bat intended to tapthe ball into play. Holding the bat in the strike zone is considered a bunt attempt. In order to take a pitch, the bat must be withdrawn--pulled backward and away from the ball.

Section 103. Slap Hit: A batted ball that has been struck with a short, chopping motion rather than with a full swing. The two most common types of slap hits are:

a. Those in which the battere takes her stance as if to bunt but then either drives the ball into the ground with a quick, short swing or punches it overe the infield. b. Those in which the btter takes running steps (within the batters box) toward the pitcheer before making contact with the pitch.

Rule 11.e. At the moment of bat-ball contact, the batter may not contact the pitch when any part of the foot is touching home plate, even though she may be touching the lines of the batter's box. In addition, the batter may not contact the pitch when an entire foot is touching the ground completely outside the lines of the batter's box.

Section 17. An illegally batted ball occurs when the batter contacts the pitch and (a) either one or both of the batter's feet are in contact with the ground entirely outside the lines of the batter's box.

Hence, watch the very good slappers take an almost ostrich-like stance at the point of contact -- one foot in the air. In effect, the NCAA rule book leaves it to the umpire to decide whether the batter attempted to bunt or slap.