Just starting my first year of umping softball and baseball, so bear with me. My first read of the "in the circle" rule and runners leaving base leads me to conclude that on a WALK in softball, the runner may not round 1B toward 2B if the pitcher and catcher remain in position, in the catcher's box and in the pitching circle. At the 11/12 yo level, in fact, said runner should be called out for leaving base early. RIGHT or WRONG? And a rule reference would be nice too. Thanks. -t.

#1 Welcome to the board.

Speaking ASA SOFTBALL

#2 Wrong. Check rule 8.7.T and POE #34. BTW, the catcher's location has no bearing on anything a runner can or cannot do.

First, you need to let us know which ruleset you are using, as it often matters.

Regarding ASA, and the lookback rule... no - a BR on a walk is allowed to round first base regardless of the position of the pitcher. In fact, said BR may run all the way home, if pitcher does nothing to stop here.

What the BR CANNOT do is stop and reverse course more than once, or stop and do nothing, while the ball is in the circle.

LBR always allows a runner to stop, decide, and act. It doesn't allow a runner to stop, decide, and STOP (or reverse) again, and it doesn't allow a runner to simply stop and do nothing.

The pitcher's circle is not a stop button for the defense to press.

I think one confusing thing with this rule is the runner is allowed to continue on to 2nd, or in your case round the base toward 2nd as long as she makes a continous motion to 2nd. What I mean is she comes to first and rounds the base toward 2nd. She CANNOT stop on first and then step toward 2nd as then she is out for leaving ealry if the pitcher has ball in circle. But as long as she rounds the base (IE never stops on the base) she can then turn the corner, see the ball in pitchers hands and return to 1st, or continue on to 2nd but as mentioned above can only stop (for reaction time only) and change direction once and then must continue in the direction to the base she is heading toward unless played on by the pitcher.

Thanks
 

Thanks; I'm using the little blue book by the way, don't know the official title. It looks a lot like the little green book I use for baseball.

That makes sense, especially because all the seasoned managers I'm seeing so far are rounding their girls at 1st. I blew that call once in my first game, now I won't do it again. -t.

In most rule books, the BR may do anything on a walk that may be done on a hit.

Bob