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For me, Coach, you need to clarify exactly what your pitcher is doing.
You said that she pushes off (assuming with pivot foot), and then
The stride foot lands, and then
The pivot foots drags and lifts.
So where is the pivot foot while the stride foot is traveling forward? On the ground? But you said that it drags after the stride foot lands. In the air? In your next sentence you say that both feet are never in the air at the same time. Very confusing!
Normal pitching sequence:
Stride foot comes over the plate,
Pivot leg buckles and pushes forward,
Pivot foot drags and trails stride foot.
Stride foot lands, ball is released, and pivot foot picks up to set down at side as hips close.
Two points to consider.
1. Pivot foot, despite what others have said here, does not have to stay in contact with the ground. It may break contact, but no higher than the level plane of the ground. The rules makers allow for the uneven terrain around the pitching plate. In reality, most umpires are going to allow some "lift" off the ground by the pivot foot. No umpire is going to lay on the ground and measure the height. Fact is, they are usually looking elsewhere. So, unless the "leap" is drastic and very visable (ie., more than a couple inches up and starting the drag a foot or more from the plate), it is not going to get called.
2. As noted, the pivot foot will lift at the end of the drag as part of closing the hips. Men tend to close their hips before release, thus their pivot foot will p/u before the release. Women tend to close hips after release, thus the foot will probaby pick up later. Whatever, it doesn't matter what the pivot foot does at the end of the drag. It will be legal.
WMB
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