bats; fast and slow

[Little Jimmy]

Fed fastpitch. Before tonights game, partner(field) and I(plate) discussed rumors of one player getting away with using an illegal bat.. Both of us say we will be dilligent. I check all bats using my handy banned bat list. All OK. 4th inning, girl comes up using a bat I approved in pregame ( I had been watching each one carefully ). She smacks a killer homerun. As soon as she crosses the plate, partner comes to me and says "check the bat". I say no need, its one I approved. He says "but that's a slow pitch bat". I say it doesn't make any difference, it's not a banned bat. He says a slow pitch bat (labeled as such) cannot be used in a fast pitch game. I let it stand as is but we had a friendly discussion afterwards with both of us doubting our positions.

The question: is it legal to use a slow pitch bat in a fast pitch game? ASA doesn't seem to draw a distinction between the two.

[BigUmpJohn]

It does depend on where you are from. In PA, it has to have either the 2000 or 2004 ASA stamp on the bat and not be on the most recent copy of an ASA Banned Bat list. I believe our association wants a copy printed with the date on each Monday. That's it. Really, it doesn't matter whether it's a slow, fast, or even modified pitch bat.

[TwoBits]

If she can swing a slow pitch bat fast enough in a fast pitch game, then more power to her. Homerun.

[Dakota]

Legally, there is no such thing as a "slow pitch" bat. The manufacturers mark them as slow or fast pitch purely for marketing reasons. The slow pitch bats are intended for use by adults and so have less of a "drop", etc. Most girls cannot get such a bat around fast enough to use it against a good fastpitch pitcher. However, those that can will be able to get good distance on the ball.

Bottom line: any bat that is legal in the slow pitch game is legal in the fast pitch game (ASA) and by extension, NFHS.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by Little Jimmy
...rumors of one player getting away with using an illegal bat.. .

If the slow pitch marking was the source of the rumors that the bat was illegal, you can put that rumor to rest.

[mcrowder]

I see girls using the Lisa Fernandez model Louisville bat (marked slowpitch) all the time.