Ruling???

[argodad]

Originally Posted by MNBlue

Ditto. If I've cleaned the PP, I've done my job. Now, if the pitcher chooses to cover the PP, I don't have a problem with that, but the pitcher better make me believe there are no violations occuring. If I think that there are (and I'm not going to look any harder than normal), I certainly will not be giving the pitcher the benefit of the doubt after deliberately covering the PP with dirt.

I saw this handled well at the NCAA D-II Nationals a couple of years ago. Pitcher was the MVP the previous year, and was playing for the defending champions. She obviously and intentionally covered the rubber with dirt right after U3 swept it. U3 called an IP on the first pitch. (BTW, I think she was right -- the back toe was probably 2-3" off.) The pitcher brushed the dirt off the rubber, brought her back foot up to a legal position, and the game went on.