2025-26 NFHS Baseball, Rules Changes Press Release

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

2025-26 NFHS Baseball Rules Changes Press Release

Several subsequent rules changes, including Rule 8-2-2a, outline how batter-runners and fielders shall use the double first base. The batter-runner should use the colored base on an initial play at first base unless a fielder is drawn into foul territory to receive a dropped third strike, in which case, the batter-runner would use the white portion of the base.

Since that's going on behind him, shouldn't he have the choice of which base to use when the 3rd strike is not caught but the ball remains close to the foul line? He doesn't know which side of the foul line the ball will eventually be fielded on.

Rule 3-4-6 was added to address defensive player meetings as charged conferences. Each team, when on defense, may be granted not more than one player-to-player meeting during an inning. Umpires shall deny any subsequent defensive team requests for that half-inning. Additionally, Rule 2-10-3 was added to define a player-to-player defensive meeting as having two or more defensive players.

If F1 and F2 approach each other to confer, and then F2 goes to F3, is that a second meeting, or is it a continuation of the first? Are these new provisions going to be used just to prevent intentional delay of the game, or are umpires going to try to use them to speed action along? Maybe it'll differ depending on whether someone else has use of the field after the present game.