Question that was posed
 

We were asked for a ruling on this play:
The Coach of team A, who is batting, throws a ball to the pitcher. Player A1 then hits a home run.

A fan immediately returns the ball to field of play. The ball is returned to the pitcher, Team B, who informs the umpire the ball hit for a home run is a non-approved softball. The umpires checks the ball and rules the ball is illegal.

What I said was

This could be a ball rotation issue. ASA rules supplement rule 2 page 113.

B. The current game ball should be used until it goes out of play or becomesunplayable. When the ball goes out of play, the umpire should put another ball in play. The pitcher MUST now pitch with that ball unless it is deemed unplayable by the umpire.

As such since the plate umpire did not check the ball for its legality, it would seem that this one is on the umpire. Unless the blue chooses to use the elasticity rule for HP duties, in which case, it is going to be a no win situation.

For Slow pitch it is a completely different situation. In that case rule 7-2 e applies

Offensive coach gets option to take the play or having the last batter bat again assuming the previous ball-strike count.

What do you think?

7.2.E applies to co-ed slowpitch.

I don't think there's any way you can know for certainty that the ball that left the field is the same ball that came back. This is a do-nothing and move along event.

That would make a difference.

Rhetorical [somewhat] question. If the 12U girls can use the 12" softball, why can't adult women?

Sure, they could. Then make the adult men use the 16" softball! :D

How about this as a reply?

First of all, how can the HP umpire know for sure if the ball returned was indeed the ball that was hit out, unless he saw that it absolutely was?

Secondly, what made the ball illegal? Was it the wrong size as in co-ed(man's ball thrown to a woman or vice-versa)? Was the ball not ASA stamped? Was it the wrong COR?

In any event, since the ball was illegal and the ball was pitched, that makes the pitch illegal.

By rule 6-2-1: if a batter hits an illegal pitch and reaches first base safely and all other batters reach their base safely then the illegal pitch is nullified and the play stands.

I do know of one co-ed league that uses the 12" ball for the women and the 14" ball for the men....

Ummm, elasticity rule? I've been umpiring ASA for six years now, and I've never heard of this. What is it?