The Fastpitch Chronicle

Hello from The Office of The Fastpitch Chronicle

There were some really interesting scores yesterday. Some were tight and some were far, far too lopsided. As a coach I hated having to make outs for our opponents but I never required my batter to strike out on purpose, bunt and not run etc. Instead we left bases early, failed to tag up on fly balls and then told the infielder to appeal the non tag etc. 

Some scores from today included my prediction about DC Everest and Marshfield. They played a twinbill today with Marshfield winning one game 7-5 and DC Everest taking the other one 9-3. I'm not sure if both games were Wisconsin Valley Conference games though. 

Statewide Rankings before the beginning of next week from The Fastpitch Chronicle. 

I have few situations for you tonight.

The first one falls under Rule 8 Section 1. THE BATTER BECOMES A BATTER-RUNNER
I was at a key game yesterday and saw this play take place. There was a runner at second base with two outs and two strikes on the batter. The pitcher threw a perfect change up at 42 mph and as the ball died near home plateand hit the dirt, the batter swung and missed as the ball bounced about six inches behing the plate. The ball skipped in front of the catcher's mitt and bounced away from her. The batter showed instant moxie and started sprinting to first and would have been safe there but the umpire called her out on the checked swing. 

Was this the correct call? Answer at end of tonight's Bulletin. But you can find the answer now in your rulesbook in Rule 8, Secton 1 Article 1b througout my decades watching, playing and coaching this game I have seen plenty of discussions (better to call them arguments I suppose) over this play.

Situation #2
With the bases loaded and no outs the batter takes a pitch for ball 2. The count is now 2 balls and 2 strikes. The batter stepped out of the box to adjust the batting helmet and batting gloves. The next pitch is wide of the plate for a ball. The batter, thinking it was ball four tossed her bat toward the first base on deck circle in front of her bench and heads for first base. All the other runners trot to the next base and home plate. There is no play on any of those runners. Before the runner that had just touched home plate gets to the out of playu area the defensive coach starts yelling that it was only ball 3. A heated discussion takes place and before play is resumed the umpire called the batter back to the plate and all runners back to their bases. What would you have called in this scenario?

Situation #3 Involves Rule 6
The pitcher is standing behind the pitcher's plate and inside the "Look Back Circle" looking toward her catcher. A coach from her dugout yells, "Blue 224." The pitcher, infielders and catcher all look at their wrist bands. The pitcher steps onto the pitcher's plate and starts her pre-pitch routine and pitches. Is this legal or is it illegal? 

Situation #4
 SITUATION 3: The pitcher from Team A steps onto the pitcher’s plate with the heel of her pitching foot against the front edge of the pitcher’s plate. The umpire rules this illegal stating that part of the pivot foot must be on top of the pitcher’s plate. Is this the correct Ruling?

We did get a few coaches sending us game reports from Tuesday game and all have been published today. I sent out two award certificates today -- A First Ever Varsity Home Run award to Callista Heirdorf of Campbellsport and a Seven-Inning No-Hitter Certificate to Gretta Grassel a freshman at Boscobel.

Here are are the Tuesday scores in the Madison Area from the Badger and Capitol Conferences and thanks to the fan that emailed them to me.

Badger North
Beaver Dam 5, DeForest 1
Baraboo 17, Waunakee 5
Mount Horeb 6, Sauk Prairie 2
Reedsburg 13, Portage 11

Badger South
Monroe 7, Fort Atkinson 5
Oregon 3, Watertown 1
Monona Grove 6, Milton 5
Edgewood 15, Stoughton 3

Capitol North
Poynette 21, Lodi 0
Lake Mills 2, Columbus 0
Lakeside Lutheran 20, Watertown Luther Prep 3

Capitol South
Belleville 12, New Glarus/Monticello 7
Marshall 4, Waterloo 3
Wisconsin Heights 11, Cambridge 7

Big 8
Middleton 11, Madison East 0
Madison Memorial 14, Janesville Craig 2
Sun Prairie 15, Madison LaFollette 0
Verona 25, Madison West 0

Answer to Situation #1
Rule 8, Section 1, 1b The catcher fails to catch teh third strike before the ball touches the ground when there are fewer than two outs and first base unoccupied at the time of the pitch, or anytime there are two outs.

Answer to Situation #2
All three runners are safe at the next station and the run scores. The batter is called back from first base with a count of 3 balls and 2 strikes. If the defense would have been "on their toes" the could have tagged any one of the three runners and there could have been a triple play on ball 3.

Answer to Situation #3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K74tDAdhguw

Answer to Situation #4:
This is an incorrect ruling. The pivot foot is only required to be in contact with the pitcher’s plate. It is legal if the pitcher wishes to “heel up to” the pitcher’s plate by having just the heel of her pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate. (6-1-1)

That's it for tonight.
Keep it Rising!

Bob