[chapmaja]

My opinion of these plays is as follows.

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Here are three plays from today's JV game, NFHS rules.

Play 1: Pitch gets by the catcher and the runner on 3rd comes home. The runner does not slide, but just continues to run towards home. The throw from the catcher to the pitcher covering home hits the runner before she touches the plate? She did not do anything to intentionally contact the throw such as reach up and swat at the ball or jump in front of the throw. What's the call?

I have nothing if I am the plate umpire. This was not interference, but simply a throw that hit a runner who was running where she was allowed to run.



Play 2: 1 out R1 on first, B2 batting. Strike three is dropped and gets behind the catcher. R1 takes off for second base. The catcher picks up the ball and throws back to the pitcher in the circle. The plate umpire clearly and loudly called strike three, batters out. R1 for some reason stops short of second base, pauses, then realizes she needs to continue. This pause happens after the ball is in the circle in possession of the pitcher. What's the call?

I again have nothing on this. She took off with the ball not in the circle, momentarily paused while the ball was in the circle then continued to second base.

Play 3: Runner at third, 2 outs. The runner jumps up and switches feet touching the base in such a manner that momentarily there is no contact with the base by either foot. (Pitcher has the ball in the circle) She has never moved forward towards home plate. Player 40 is the batter in the box when this happens (this is important in play 5). What's the call?


I have nothing on this play. The runner did not leave the base early, she just lost contact momentarily above the base.


Play 4: Similar to play 3, this time runner is on first base. The runner jumps up as the pitcher is on the pitchers plate, but moves 3 feet off first base towards second base in the process of switching the "lead" foot.

I have an out on this for leaving the base early. I ended up making this call from the plate because the base umpire did not call it despite the fact she was a good three feet off the base which was clearly visible from where he was standing. This should not have been my call to make, but when the visiting team coach is arguing about consistency in the calls, she will get what she asked for. Why he did not call this I have no idea.

Play 5: From play 3, #40 was at bat when the inning ended at 3rd base. Batter #18 comes up to bat and the count is 1-1 when the offensive coach calls for time and says she is switching batters to #40 who should be the batter because she was up when the call was made (play #3). What should happen?

I know have the correct batter, #40, up with a 1-1 count. Despite what the defensive coach said, I have no out on this play because no play had occurred.


There were all plays from tonight's JV DH. Play 1 was when I was on the bases, plays 2-5 were with me on the plate.

One final thing. After play #3, we get ready to start the next half inning and I look up and see my BU standing just inside the foul line at 3rd base. I tried quietly pointing him to get back into position, but he wasn't paying attention to me. The first play was a ground out, with a fairly close play at 1st, which he called from by 3rd base. It took him halfway through the second batter to realize he was out of position. I think he started the half inning in the E position.