ASA Slow Pitch Shorthanded Rule...Question

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by Tsmokie
Hi,

This should be an easy question for you experts out there. This is specifically in regards to ASA Slowpitch. If a team starts with 11 players (they are using an EP), and if someone gets hurt and they don't have a legal substitute, can they drop to 10 players? I have read the rule a million and one times, and the part that is confusing me is, in the EP section is says that if you start with 11 you must end with 11, and then in the shorthanded section it says you can finish with one player less than the required number. Now, I would easily interpret that to mean that if you start with 11 you must finish with 11, but at the same time if you start with 10 or 9 you can drop one and don't have the required number.

Thanks for you help.

Tsmokie

A team cannot continue to play with less than the number of players in the starting line-up when starting 10 or more players.

If a team starts with 9 (slowpitch) or 8 (fastpitch), they cannot drop below those numbers as they are already playing under the shorthanded rule. The missing player is still assessed an out every time that slot in the order is due to bat.

Anytime a team is shorthanded and a player arrives at the field, that player MUST fill the vacated spot or lose their eligibility for the remainder of that game.