Finally got first game of the season out of the way. Big school varsity game between two average teams. Shaking rust and cobwebs out all game long. Shocked that I flinched the first time a high hard one came right at the eyeballs. Nerves of steel are looking a little more like plastic.

Plastic was involved in one of our unusual plays. Fastball right at the batter’s head. She leans back slightly and “whack!” Ball bounds towards fence and I call Foul. Offense yelps! I ask partner, “ hit helmet or bat?” (LH batter, and he was in “A” position.) Said that he could not tell. I reviewed the play in my mind and said, “to me it sounded more like the ball hitting plastic than aluminum.” “Do you agree?” He did, so I reversed my decision based on sound, and sent the batter to 1B.

Another hit batter, another problem. RH batter squares to bunt. Ball inside belt high. As batter pulls back she drops right hand off bat and down into path of ball and gets hit right on the knuckles. As she was hopping around I had a couple seconds to review and this is what I saw. She put her hand in the path of the ball, but she didn’t do it deliberately, and when she did, she could not get out of the way. I sent her to 1B. What do you think?

WMB

Good judgement-- sounds like the rust and
cobwebs got cleaned out fast !
I just finished my 16th game here-
and I work a "limited schedule" !

Congrats on getting the first game of the season out of the way. Now, when you say the ball is inside, I am assuming that you mean out of the strike zone. The only other question, it seems, is was the batter, in your judgement, making an attempt to avoid being hit? If she was, then send her to first. If she wasn't, then you should have dead ball and a ball on the batter.

Remember, the batter has to make some attempt, however minute that may be in your interpretation, to avoid being hit by the pitch.

[Edited by Skahtboi on Apr 1st, 2004 at 09:25 AM]

Scott,

Why you want to send her to 3rd?
:D
J/K, know it was a typo....Been a
lot of those lately. I know, I
have had my share.

Originally posted by Skahtboi
<b>
The only other question, it seems, is was the batter, in your judgement, making an attempt to avoid being hit? If she was, then send her to third.
__________________________________________________ _________
</b>

OK, now you got me wondering. Does she get 3rd because the ball hit her on the knuckles, instead of the palm of the hand? Or because it was an inside pitch as opposed to high, low, outside? I've tried to find the rule, nearly read the whole book tonight. Can't find anything to back this up, not in the rules or POE's. Could you point me in the right direction?

TexBlue,

Scott is probably tired from doing all those games.
The weather here in Texas has been nothing but N I C E.
I have one game tomorrow, two Friday and a tournament
Sat. and Sunday in Houston.

That's it glen...all those games have me bamfoozled. I am going to go correct that now! (Should have read second...right?! ;))

Scott,

I might have found reason to award third if I had another
runner and the game was in ITB (extra innings if ITB not
utilized), if they were home team and batting.

http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/jump.gif

That's all I was trying to do, Glen. Just get the game over! :D