[chapmaja]

Had my first game of the year today. JV HS game. No big issues, but a few plays that were moderately interesting. I was working with a partner I never worked with before, so that was interesting as well.

First, we had a player from one team we think has a prosthetic leg, but can't be sure because nothing was visible. We were never given any documentation about it one way or another. State association policy says we should be given a letter of approval from the state association for any athlete to compete with a prosthesis. Given we suspect, but aren't sure, should we have done anything like question the coach quietly, or should be just let it go.

The next issue, and I'm pretty sure I handled it correct. Bottom 4th. B4 comes up to bat, fouls a pitch off, and swings and misses, giving her an 0-2 count. The defensive coach asks for time, and says this is the incorrect batter. The scorekeeper says B4 made the last out last inning. I ask the home team scorekeeper (offending teams scorekeeper), what she has. She says that it is the correct batter, but as she is looking, she realizes she only has two outs the last inning, so B4 must have been the last out and B5 is the legal batter.

What is the proper procedure? I told the offending coach B4 was an incorrect batter and B5 should be the batter. I had B5 step in, and assume the 0-2 count B4 had earned in the at-bat? Was this the correct procedure? (B5 hit a line shot to 3b on the best pitch.

If B4 had gotten on base, or gotten out, what would the procedure have been.

The only other screwy things were having to explain the infield fly rule to the coach and scorekeeper of the visiting team when I didn't call it for a pop fly to F6 with a runner on first and 1 out and me losing track of the count because I never changed the indicator and we had a rundown play on a botched steal attempt after the first pitch.

The best part, 2 games, less than 3 hours of total game time. One game 6 inning 10 run mercy and the other a full 7 inning game. The other good part. Everyone including myself made it out uninjured.

The worst part, other than forgetting the count, and having to discuss it with my partner, was getting a foul ball smacked right off the middle of the face mask.


One other situation.

Teams hand me the lineup cards for game 2. I look them over and don't see any problems. After the third inning, the home coach says I want to sub 27 for 17. Ok, no problem. I pull out the lineup and I have no #17 on the lineup card. Now we have a problem. I add her to the lineup card, and announce the substitution. I issue a warning to the home coach for having to make an addition to the lineup card and remind him that a subsequent violation will restrict him and the player to the dugout. As soon as I am done with this, the visiting coach comes with a sub. I want #4 to bat for #8. I look, and I have no number 4 on the lineup as an eligible substitute. The coach looks at the line up, and turns to ask the player what her number is. The player tells her number 14. I change the number, announce this substitution to the scorekeeper and now warn this coach that any subsequent changes will result in a dugout restriction.

I have never had to warn two coaches for this in a game before, let alone two in the same break between innings.