One from today

[chapmaja]

Today had a HS JV game that was for the conference title and should have been a close game. The visiting team has 15 players on the roster, but 6 (including 5 starters) are either medically or academically not eligible to participate. That leaves them with 9 to start.

First game of the DH goes fine and they finish with 9.


They start game 2 with 9.


In the bottom of the first inning, H1 is attempting to steal second. V19 is covering on the steal and catches the ball while running and tags H1 on the helmet rather hard (nothing malicious, just a hard catch/tag). The tag causes the helmet of H1 to flip off and it comes up and hits V19 right in the mouth. This causes an injury to the nose of H1 (who is out on the play, third out of the inning) , and a cut in the mouth of V19 (cut the inside of her lip on her braces). We take the time to make sure both players are ok, and they switch places.

Top 2nd comes and goes, 1-2-3 inning, so the home team comes back up to bat. As the visitors are going on defense, the VC gets my partner's attention (I'm the PU). She talks to him and I see her going back into the dugout. He comes over and explains her mouth is still bleeding and she can't play defense. He explained to the coach that they can play with 8, and it is an out when V19's spot in the order comes up, if she can't continue.

The question involves the reentry of V19 to the game. Since she left the game due to injury, does NFHS allow her to return, and if so, does her reentry count as a reentry like a substitute reentering? Also, is she allowed under NFHS rules to reenter? Does ASA prohibit a player in this situation from reentering? What about NCAA, or USSSA?

She ended up going for stiches and missed the rest of the game, so this really is a what if. H1 ended up being fine as well, despite a hard hit to the helmet on the tag.