Need a call

[Roger Greene]

Don,
For Fed see 1-1-3. "At the time of the pitch, all fielders shall be on fair ground except the catcher who shall be in the catcher's box. PENALTY: Illegal Pitch."

So, if this was a Fed game you have an illegal pitch, and the offense would get the option of the play or the penalty.
What you also have is a PU who has fouled up. At the beginnning of each inning, and after every dead ball( including a foul ball) the PU must put the ball back into play. This is a pet peeve of mine, and is particularly important in baseball games, where a pick off play may be attempted.

Before the PU can put the ball in play he has to be sure of
the following:

(1)The pitcher is on (not near) the pitcher's plate with the ball in her possession.
(2)The catcher is in position in the catcher's box.
(3)The batter is in the batter's box and ready to receive the pitch.
(4)All runners have retouched their proper base.
and (5) all other fielders are in fair territory.

If I'm the defensive coach on your sitch, I'm going to complain that the ball shouldn't have been put in play before my fielder was in fair territory.

USSSA matches Fed on this I believe.

Roger Greene,
Member UT

[Edited by Roger Greene on Apr 15th, 2001 at 12:26 PM]