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Speaking ASA fastpitch, a pitched ball which touches the ground before reaching home plate or touches home plate, and the batter does not swing, is by rule, a BALL.
Since you mentioned you had high school students as umpires, this is also true for high school softball.
If the pitched ball hits the plate, and is not swung at, it is a BALL, regardless of whether it went through the strike zone or not.
The ASA Rule is 7-5-A. The NHFS (high school) rule is 7-2-2-EFFECT.
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Tom
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