Check swing

[greymule]

If I think the batter started an actual swing, I call a strike. Only if it appears to me that his motion was purely to get out of the way do I call a ball.

I've had younger girls use the bat to try to ward off a pitch that's coming at them, especially at their face. It's a tough call when a 9-year-old reflexively puts the bat up in front of her for protection and then gets whacked in the face and is lying in the box in tears.

In my experience, especially in rec ball where that play usually occurs, everyone in the park, including the defense, wants to see her go to 1B.