Batter's Box Question

[Dakota]

If at 10U "freezing" can be judged as "attempting to avoid" on a HBP, then so can "bailing" be judged as "forced out of the box by a pitch." We're talking about 4th and 5th graders here. Development and learning the game are primary goals.

At this age, I wouldn't apply 7-3-C for bailing out in fear unless it actually DID delay play (e.g. she bailed out and didn't want to reenter the box) in a timed game that meant something.

At this age, I also wouldn't call strikes unless the pitch was actually a strike.

Now, the original situation said she "bailed" out by 6-7 feet. That may elicit a warning (directed to the coach, since I doubt this batter was of any mind to care if she struck out or not) if it actually delayed play; more likely, it would elicit some attempt to try to calm the player down rather than punish her; perhaps calling time for the coach to have a quiet discussion or something.

10U fastpitch isn't the world series, and a team with a player that fearful of the pitch isn't likely in Championship Play, either.

Of course, this is JMO.