Blown call gone bad....

[iowasoftballump]

It's funny that you say you haven't ever seen this play. I have had this play at least 5 times this year in all three FED/ASA/USSSA. Believe me it is a rule that you will not forget.

[NM FP Ump]

Originally Posted by iowasoftballump

It's funny that you say you haven't ever seen this play. I have had this play at least 5 times this year in all three FED/ASA/USSSA. Believe me it is a rule that you will not forget.

I've had the sit where the batter is still in the batter's box and there is a double hit, but never when the bat and the ball collide while in mid air. And you're right, I won't ever forget this rule.

As for the time issue, you can debate all you want, but if I am going to call the batter out for the ball hitting the bat twice (one rule) I am certainly going to allow an inning to start with time on the clock (another rule). Reminds me of a comeback to a complaining coach, "Which rules DO you want me to enforce, coach?" I guess with experience, comes wisdom.

[Dakota]

Let's not forget that adding a clock to a softball game is unnatural. The rules do not get into "clock management" at all except for a vaguely-worded rule about "tactics" resulting in a forfeit. The timed softball game is a tool to manage multiple scheduled games on the same field, nothing more or less. This can be to keep a tournament on schedule or to not have the 10:00 pm slowpitch game not get started until 11 because of some 12U rec game that started at 7:00 didn't finish until 9:15 because, by gosh, there was 0:02 left on the clock for teams that took 45 minutes to complete the last inning!

The rule exists to control use of the field, not to make sure some team is not cheated out of their chance to score another 12 runs while their opponents throw the ball around on every play.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

The rule exists to control use of the field, not to make sure some team is not cheated out of their chance to score another 12 runs while their opponents throw the ball around on every play.

Which is why the time + 1 inning is the best way to resolve this issue when a clock is needed to keep a tournament moving.