WCWS Softball

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Absolutely the case.

Here's the NCAA rule, word for word:

"At the moment of bat-ball contact, the batter may not contact the pitch when any part of her foot is touching home plate, even though she may be touching the lines of the batter's box. In addition, the batter may not contact the pitch when her entire foot is touching the ground completely outside the lines of the batter's box."

Note - the ENTIRE FOOT is touching the ground.

Mike, I believe someone has sold you a steaming pile. The entire foot touching has always meant to reflect that any and all parts of the foot which are touching.

By what you are saying, she could hop three times on her toes and be 6 feet in front of the box at the time of contact as long as she never let her entire foot touch the ground at any one time??

Originally Posted by Dakota

ASA says "entire foot is touching the ground completely outside", but it also says "any part of the foot is touching home plate".

I have to give the benefit of the doubt to the batter since this is so difficult to see. You are focusing on the pitch up to the point of contact, and if you then look down at the feet it is too late to know for sure if the foot was down AT contact or just after. IOW, it needs to be blatantly obvious - in my field of view and down before contact. This does not mean I am making a private rule... it just means as a practical matter, it is nearly impossible to do otherwise.

Tom, let me paraphrase; if the pitch is down in the zone, you maybe can see the foot while tracking the pitch. If the pitch is up, in or out, maintaining the priority of tracking the ball makes seeing the foot definitively on the ground and completely out of the box is generally unlikely.

Coach, if you want that call, maybe you should be throwing drops, not riseballs!!