At What Point Does A Pitch Begin?

[Dakota]

In ASA, rules 6-1-D, 6-2, and 6-3-A in combination make the double touch illegal, and stepping on the plate with the hands together is one "touch." However, in ASA, the action does not become illegal until she separates the hands for the signals, at which point she has separated the hands and did not immediatly pitch the ball OR until she does NOT separate the hands for the signals.

NFHS, by contrast, specifically says the pitcher must step onto the plate with the hands separated (6-1-1-a), so once this happens, the pitch is illegal.

So, in ASA, the pitcher has the option of stepping back off the plate before the pitch becomes illegal; in NFHS, she does not.