Well this past weekend the team I play for won the State Championship and we had to come through the losers bracket to do it. (shameful bragging :)) My first question is about time limit. We played with a 90 minute time limit for both championship games, granted we got in a full 7 innings, is there a time limit for title games?

Next question happened top of 7, 2 outs, runner on 2nd of the "if" game. B1 at the plate and out pitcher starts her initial motion but stops before seperating her hands to go into the windmill. She did end up stepping off the front of the rubber but never delivered the ball. Umpire ruled a ball after a few seconds of thought. 1st base coach basically ends up going off about a balk and its a ball and a base. Umpire tells him it was not an illegal pitch so no base.

Coach takes explanation so we continue on, but before pitcher can throw again, 1B coach calls time and questions call again. He's starting to get heated and him and umpire have an up-close and personal discussion about it, not tossed though. (I'm 1st baseman, I got to see it all)

Umpire then goes to partner and they converse and agree ball no base. Coach then protests, UIC comes down to field and he also agrees, ball no base. Game continues and we get batter to ground out to pitcher for third out and championship.

So question is, did Blue get it right?

Congrats LilDani!

Yes, the pitch starts once the hands are separated, so ball, no base!

http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/Gif/SPaniike.gif

Isn't starting a motion to pitch and not delivering an illegal pitch?
What rule says call a ball when the pitch was never released?

"Yes, the pitch starts once the hands are separated, so ball, no base!"

Huh? If the pitch has started, then it must be released, otherwise IP. What are you thinking, Elaine?


Lildani - I suspect that you think the ump was wrong, and you are right. The pitcher can stop before the hands separate - but must step backwards off the plate. If she stepped forward, she commited an IP. Penalty is ball and all runners advance. ASA 6.8

WBM

It's not that I think the umpire is wrong, because I wasn't quite sure what I had seen and how the rule should have been applied. Like I said, even if they would have moved the runner that base, they weren't going to win. :) I'm just wondering if perhaps we got a free one.

You know what, I am about to stop visiting this site. Maybe I've forgotton a few things since I haven't umpired in 3 years, but I don't like the tone of the rebukes.
I worked VERY hard to attain NIF, 5 ASA Nationals as I didn't start umpiring until I was 36. Steve, Mike, Glen, Mick, et al knew me here on several boards while I was active.
All I'm doing is trying to do is stay abreast of the game.

I don't think anyone was trying to be rude. I think they all wanted to be sure the right information was being given out. We're all thick-skinned and can take a little "I think you were wrong" once in a while.

Elaine,
Please, hang in and hold on. ;)
mick

[B]DITTO

Here's what I found:

Rule 6 - Section 8 (fast pitch)
....The pitcher may move back from the pitching position by stepping backwards off the pitcher's plate prior to separating the hands. Stepping forward or sideways at any time constitutes an illegal pitch."

Didn't know it was lost!

http://www.spao.de/pict/smilies/jump.gif

Funning of course.

What town you from? I'm from Omaha. Congrats on winning Class C. I grew up in Utica, which qualified for some Class C tournaments in the past.

I played for the Fremont Flames but I'm not from there. My town didn't have enough for a team this year so me and a couple of my friends when down there to play.

Elaine,

You're a good web-friend, so please stay around. Some of your posts do seem to be magnets for a certain kind of response, though.

On the topic of the thread, all three (PU, BU, and UIC) got it wrong if you are correct on the detail about how the pitcher stepped off the plate. There are some IP infractions that occur before the pitch offically starts. The preliminaries must be legal, too.

Dakota,

I know, when I re read the post, I saw where the foot had moved off the front of the rubber. So, I was wrong.

:>(

Sorry to those folks who seem to take my comments and go into orbit.