Fed Illegal Pitch Option

[Tex]

Sometimes an illegal pitch is delivered to the batter. If the batter hits the ball (fair or foul), the play continues until the "end of playing action". Now the coach of the team at bat has the option of the resulting play or the penalty. The ball must be hit.

If the batter swings and misses the ball, the play is dead, all runners return, and the award is made.

If there is not any delivery of the ball to the batter, the play is dead and the award is made.

The runner stealing has no bearing on the play.

[Andy]

Tex - is this your interpretation or is it official in any way, either an NFHS State Rules interpreter or directly from NFHS? If so....is there documentation anywhere?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Tex

Sometimes an illegal pitch is delivered to the batter. If the batter hits the ball (fair or foul), the play continues until the "end of playing action". Now the coach of the team at bat has the option of the resulting play or the penalty. The ball must be hit.

If the batter swings and misses the ball, the play is dead, all runners return, and the award is made.

If there is not any delivery of the ball to the batter, the play is dead and the award is made.

The runner stealing has no bearing on the play.

I count 4 inaccuracies in this post... anyone have more?

[youngump]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

I count 4 inaccuracies in this post... anyone have more?

I've only got three. And that's with counting the ball must be hit and if they hit it as two separate ones. If you don't want to spoil the surprise can you PM me.
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Crazy_N_Wet live

[MD Longhorn]

Sometimes an illegal pitch is delivered to the batter.

True.

If the batter hits the ball (fair or foul), the play continues until the "end of playing action".

False, it continues regardless of whether the batter hits the ball, in some cases.

Now the coach of the team at bat has the option of the resulting play or the penalty.

False.

The ball must be hit.

False.

If the batter swings and misses the ball, the play is dead, all runners return, and the award is made.

False, in one case.

If there is not any delivery of the ball to the batter, the play is dead and the award is made.

True!

The runner stealing has no bearing on the play.

I gave him this one. Technically not really true, but also not blatantly false. Just unimportant.

[youngump]

My count didn't include "now the coach has the option..." Once the ball is dead after a hit, then yes the coach has the option.
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MegaSquirtBB

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by youngump

My count didn't include "now the coach has the option..." Once the ball is dead after a hit, then yes the coach has the option.

You're probably right, as my perception of what was false there was the preceding clause - when the ball is hit... I guess I double-dinged him for the same error!

[Tex]

Andy, the answer to your question is yes.

This segment (Illegal Pitch Enforcement) was included with 2 slides in the NFHS powerpoint presentation that was made at both the Texas State Meeting and the Arkansas State Meeting. This segment explained the 6-1-(2, 3, & 4) penalty with the 6-2-2 penalty and exception. These are on pages 47 - 50 of the 2011 rule book or pages 47 - 49 of the 2010 rule book.

An Illegal Pitch Enforcement article was also included in the 2010 NFHS Softball Preseason Guide official publication on page 4 by Referee Enterprises.