NCAA Softball

[Scooby]

Between innings and the base umpire has announced "30 seconds". Then the defensive head coach comes out and goes to the plate umpire to make a substitution. Is this an awarded ball on the batter or can the coach take a conference to avoid the ball?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Scooby

Between innings and the base umpire has announced "30 seconds". Then the defensive head coach comes out and goes to the plate umpire to make a substitution. Is this an awarded ball on the batter or can the coach take a conference to avoid the ball?

After consultation with Mark, Jr., and perusing the NCAA and CCA Softball literature the change of time between half-innings was reduced from two minutes to ninety seconds starting with the 2021-22 school year:

6.7 Time Between Innings
6.7.1 For all games (media or non-media), teams are allowed a maximum of 90 seconds between innings and at the start of the game for warmups.

At that time the only guidance that Umpires received was that if a request, by either the Defensive or Offensive Coach, to make Substitutions for any reason other than Illness/Injury came after thirty seconds had been announced by the BU, the Substitution request was to be denied.

The 2021-22 & 2022-23 NCAA Softball Case Book does have an Approved Ruling that addresses the R6.7.1:

A.R. 6-30. During a game, the coach (of either the offense or defense) wants to make a substitution very close to the time between innings ending.
RULING: The coach can use a charged conference if the substitution
cannot be made in a timely manner. However, an injury would allow a
coach to make a change without penalty in this situation.
(Rule 6.12.7.3.2)

This should answer your question.

MTD, Sr.