Northwestern vs SW Texas St Game on ESPN2

[alabamabluezebra]

Did anyone see the Northwestern vs SW Texas St game on ESPN2 this weekend? It seem like SWTSU's pitcher Nicole Neuerburg was leaping five or six inches. Is this allowable in NCAA softball? There was no hole in front of the pitcher's plate.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by alabamabluezebra
Is this allowable in NCAA softball?

By the book, no. In practice, apparently, yes.

[Dakota]

Have any of you ever - ever - seen a crow hop or leap called in a Div I game? I haven't.

[Rachel]

I noticed that too. We have pitchers here that do that too but it is never called. I would not have called her illegal. I wish fastpitch was on TV more often. I watch the game but I watch the umpires also their mechanics look better than the Baseball umps.

[CecilOne]

See my May 16th, 2003 12:59 PM #5 in an earlier thread "the crow hop".
While discussing her illegal pitches, a HS senior pitcher once told me she was practicing for college.

[gohogs]

I disagree with your comments on ncaa softball mechanics being better than baseball mechanics. I work both all though not conference affiliated. In my opinion most umpires that work in these televised games look to much like a robot and to me that looks fake. An umpire should be allowed to put their own personallity in their signal mechanics that is within reason.

Go Hogs

[DanIn]

Had a girl push off the plate and re-establish her pivot foot before the arm came down to deliver the pitch. Picture perfect crow-hop but without the actual hop. Pivot foot seemed to come strtaight away from plate and sometimes dragged like it should. Can you have a crow-hop without the actual hop? It was obvious she gained an advantage by pitching in front of the pitchers plate. dan

[Andy]

Originally posted by gohogs
I disagree with your comments on ncaa softball mechanics being better than baseball mechanics. I work both all though not conference affiliated. In my opinion most umpires that work in these televised games look to much like a robot and to me that looks fake. An umpire should be allowed to put their own personallity in their signal mechanics that is within reason.

Go Hogs

Of course, you are entitled to your opinion. If you notice, there is room for some personality in softball umpires. Each umpire has their own variation of a called strike three or a sell out call, for example.

I will agree that some umpires look like robots, but then again, this isn't MLB, where the umpire is expected to be part of the show.

[AlabamaBlue]

DanIn, the key is that she pushes off from somewhere other than the rubber, not whether or not she actually hops.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by DanIn
Can you have a crow-hop without the actual hop?

Yes. (See AlabamaBlue's answer).

[DownTownTonyBrown]

I saw this action also. It was more of a replant than a drag... and therefore illegal... if it were called.

[Skahtboi]

Originally posted by Andy
...but then again, this isn't MLB, where the umpire is expected to be part of the show.

That's called "hitting the nail on the head!" However, I sure wouldn't mind that extra pay to be a "performer!"


Scott

[Skahtboi]

I am sitting here watching the Washington/Arizona game, and much to my shock and surprise, both pitchers are legal.

[AlabamaBlue]

What about Cat Osterman from Texas, she comes set with her hands together in front of her, then takes a sideways step with her pivot foot (you can see daylight, it's not a 'slide').

I don't know if that's illegal in NCAA or not, but I know it is in Dixie.

[alabamabluezebra]

How often do you see it called in Dixie?