Tucking

[MichaelVA2000]

Happened earlier this week at the PONY Nationals. R1 at first and stealing on the pitch. I'm the PU and as the inside pitch comes in, the batter twirls to get out of the way and the ball grazes the battter's shirt that was not tucked. I call the ball dead and return R1 to first as I have a dead ball strike.

OC comes out wanting to know why I'm not awarding his batter first base and my response was: Coach, had the batter's shirt been tucked in, the ball would have been able to cross through my zone. In my judgment the pitch is a strike and the ball is dead with R1 returning to the base she occupied at the time of the pitch.

As unhappy as the OC was with the call, he about blew a gasket when I refused to get help from my partner. No further issues developed.