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Just a bit low and outside!



Hello Everyone - I've been extremely busy and haven't published as many Bulletins this year as compared to years past but -- there have been more scores getting reported and I get short on topics unless I repeat stuff from previous years



However, the past couple of nights I have received a couple of e-mails pleading for something to read so --- I have the scores posted from so far tonight and will put out a bulletin.



The Poynette Fastpitch Jamboree went smoothly and we have started to plan for next year's event already. I also understand that the Muskego Slugfest also went well down there.



As for the Jamboree - it is always the first Friday and Saturday of May so with 2008 being a leap year that means that the dates are May 2 and May 3. If you'd like to be a part of the Jamboree just get in touch with me. You can play one game, two games, three games or even four games if you'd like to (Randolph did this year). The entry fee covers one umpire per game and you provide a new game ball for each game you play and you get the ball back after the game is over of course.



There are have been quite a few rules questions lately. Many of them I can answer without passing them on to John Peterson. I will include a couple examples though.



Two weeks ago an umpire called an illegal pitch on a pitcher for using the slingshot delivery in the midst of her windmill deliveries. Clearly a case where an umpire doesn't know the rules.



In the Jamboree a coach inserted the Flex player into the batting order in a spot other than where the DP was playing and the umpire allowed it to happen but didn't report it to the other team. The other team appealed the substitution when the Flex batted in that illegal spot in the order. Calm was attained when the team that appealed realized the umpire had screwed up. That coach, a nice guy, simply said, just put the correct batter back in with the count where it is now and we'll proceed from there.



Bob,

Federation rules. When a batted ball hits a bat there is no violation. If bat hits fair ball it is interference. If ball hits bat in foul territory it is a foul ball. If ball hits bat in fair territory it is fair ball even though it would have gone foul. Rule references 7-4-13; 2-20; 2-25; Case book 7-4-13, page 46.





We have a question regarding a situation which happened to us this afternoon at Zenoff Park in Stevens Point, where we played Pacelli.



After completing the top half of the first inning, both teams questioned the field set up, as the pitching mound and bases appeared to be longer distances than normal. We located a tape measure and found the bases were set at 65 feet. The pitching mound was set back somewhere around 49 feet with the pitching circle surrounding the pitching rubber.



The game was halted so the bases could be moved to the proper distances and the circle was redrawn around the correct pitching rubber. Both teams agreed to start the game over. Was this decision to restart the game correct? We could not locate a ruling in the rule book or case book.



Please advise for future reference. Thank you for you reply.



John





Have a question for you??? coach subs in a batter he says #6 for #22.... two batters later, #22 is batting... the coach said the wrong number..., we catch it on our books.. what is the call???

thanks much!



Are there any WIAA or NFHS rules regarding "facepainting" with eyeblack? Just curious. Thought maybe you wrote about this once and have stumbled across an issue is all!



There seems to be issues statewide with runners that run in front of fielders who are about to field a batted ball but do not contact the fielder nor say anything to them - just simply run past them toward the next base. Umpires have been calling nothing and also calling that interference. With that in mind here is a question to me and John Peterson's thoughts.



Hey Bob

Hope you can clarify for me on runner interference with a fielder. My shortstop was going forward to field a grounder. As she got to the ball and picked it up, the runner was less than a step away from her. Fielder pulled back so she wouldn t get bowled over (and saved her head from being taken off) which made her rush her throw to first and overthrow it. The umpire told me there had to be physical contact, or something verbally said to make this interference. Since she did not get touched by the runner there wasn t any. I don t think this is correct in this situation. I understand that if the fielder didn t go for the ball and pulled back there would not be interference, but she did field the ball within the step and reach and in order to not get killed she pulled back. Rule 2-27-1 states "Interference is an act (physical or verbal) by a member of the team at bat who illegally impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder…." There may not have been contact, but the runner did impede, hinder and confuse the fielder. Does there actually have to be contact??? I just don t believe that we want fielders to be run over to get this interference call. This shortstop has already been knocked on her butt a couple times, do we need her to get hurt?



Bob, the coach is correct. Rule clearly states "impede, hinder or confuse." Play described says that runner was step away from fielder. Some umpires call interference tightly and others do not. I think that is why we saw new rule on "initial attempt to play the ball" this year. I call tight interference so in my judgement the play described was interference.



However, a umpire can decide that a fielders actions were not the result of an "act" by a runner. Umpire could judge fielder decided not to throw the ball and was not "impeded, hindered or confused." Is there interference? That could be judgement call in the play described.



The fact that a fielder does not make a play could be due to her poor technique or positioning. For example, runner stops in her tracks, fielder then collides with runner while in the throwing motion. Who intitiated the action? Runner or fielder?



Case book doesn't help because the plays all involve contact.



John



Note Note Note



Oakfield is looking to schedule a varsity game for Monday. Contact Doug Mock at [email=ohsphyed@hotmail.com]ohsphyed@hotmail.com[/email] to chat with him about it.



May 24th is the deadline for schools to order State Tournament season passes. If your AD didn't get something to you - you had better contact that person before then.



That's about it from here for tonight.



Maybe not -- the Coaches Honor Roll Page on my website is set up to honor coaches who have reached mileposts in their careers etc. Check out that page and if you or a coach you know should have their name on that page, contact me right away with the correct information.



Keep it Rising!

Bob