Ball or Strike
 

This one happened in a HS Varsity girls FP softball game last night:
R1 on 1B; 1 out; the count 1 ball/1 strike on the batter. Pitch is thrown PU calls "strike"; R1 takes off for 2B and is obstructed by F4; BU has left arm out for obstruction while R1 is easily thrown out at 2B. BU states that R1 is safe at 2B because of the obstruction. The coach for the offense comes out and tells the PU that the pitch should be called a ball since there was obstruction on the play. PU keeps the count at 1 ball/2 strikes.

D'oh!

Coach, of course, is totally wrong here. OBS has nothing to do with the ball strike count.

That's a new one. :rolleyes:

Is the coach crazy or what?????? OBS only effects runners in this case (exception Catchers obs does effect the batter). The ONLY thing I can think of is the coach was confused with an illegal pitch where the offensive coach would have the option of taking the play, runner out at 2nd adn batter gets a strike, or inforce the illegal pitch, Runner advances one base and a ball on the batter.

But OBS, with the exception of catchers obstruction, would never effect the batters count, and even catchers obstruction does not effect the count, you just get first base if you inforce the penalty---no change of a strike to a ball.

Is there a sandlot rulebook floating around?

Sure. Go here and read the MURSA Official rules.

http://eteamz.active.com/softballump....cfm?cat=78064

I would have to ask. Maybe that's where I'll find all these special rules players and coaches come up with.

Well, some maybe. New MURSA rules are being added every day!