NFHS 3-3-8 and 3-3-10
 

Interesting situation from another board. NFHS rules:

3-3-10 states that the re-entry rule applies to any player removed from the game due to this (3-3-10) rule. That tells me that a legal substitute needs to enter the game for the player affected by the blood rule.

What if there are no legal substitutes? Either because the team only has the minimum number of players, or all other legal subs have been used.

Can we invoke 3-3-8 and use a "temporary" runner to finish the inning, then the team goes shorthanded on defense?

The re-entry rule part applies to when the player returns later, and the legal sub part means the entering sub must be a legal one.
If no legal subs, the temporary runner rule applies.

FED Rulebook at home
 

I don't have my FED rule book with me at the office, but what "temporary runner"? I've never heard this term used before.

Had similar situation just last week. Runner tried stealing third in the bottom of the first. She was hit with the ball and had to leave. Home team playing w/ 9 and no subs.

We put in the previous girl in the lineup, who was leadoff hitter and was retired. Top of the second, defense is playing with 8. The injured player was cleared to play and came back into the game in the top of the third. Had we made it to her spot in the batting order and she was unable to go, there would have been an automatic out.

My situation did not involve the blood rule, so we didn't have to worry about getting it cleaned up or if it had soiled the uniform.

If this happened in ASA, the player would not have been allowed to return.

When a safe runner is unable to continue, the last player at bat not on base is allowed to finish the runner's on-base sequence. I think the book does refer to that being a "temporary" runner.

You handled the situation according to rule 3-3-8, which is fine. I would not have allowed the player back in the game, but that is another discussion.

My point is that the blood rule is a seperate rule for a specific situation. If a player is removed for the blood rule, the re-entry rule applies, meaning that a substitute is needed. The blood rule does not allow for a temporary runner as in 3-3-8.

NFHS 3-3-8 applies to a runner who is unable to continue. A player who has blood on her uniform that can not be cleaned up in a timely fashion is unable to continue because it is prohibited by rule 3-3-10, so I would see no problem applying 3-3-8 if no subs were available.

The sentence about the re-entry rule in 3-3-10 (IMO) is to make it clear that the player has left the game and will use her re-entry privilege to return to the game.

3-3-10 provides for the removal of a player from the game who may be physically able to continue, but is not allowed to due to the blood on her person or clothing.

I feel you are trying to be too specific with your application of the rules and not taking the entire rule set into consideration.

NFHS needs to specifically address players returning to a game once a team has gone short handed. There are reasons that a player may not be available to play for a period of time, but is fine to return later.

I think you would be justified in allowing the use of EITHER rule. You don't have to decide if it was the blood or the injury that took her out of the game, and then apply that rule. Seems to me the defense has two options here.