Equipment checks and pitching

 Umpires are again required to check equipment this year.  Focus will be on bats and helmets  Coaches will still have to verify that all players are legally equipped

 Bats  Must have a 2004 or newer ASA certification mark and not be on the non-approved list (IGHSAU adaptation)  Be one piece, muti-pieces and permanently assembled, or two pieces with interchangeable barrel construction  Be free of rattles, dents, burrs, cracks and sharp edges  Broken, altered or bats that deface the ball are illegal.

 Helmets  Must have NOCSAE stamp and legible exterior warning label  Must have ear flaps which cover both ears and temples  Broken, cracked, dented or altered helmets are illegal  Must have a NOCSAE approved face protector  Must have a chin strap  Eye shields (if worn) must be a rigid material that is clear (not tinted)  Required to be worn while the ball is live and in live- ball territory by players and non-adults

 Catcher’s equipment  Helmet/mask combination with NOCSAE seal  Must have a throat protector  Can use “goalie” mask, but it must be NOCSAE approved  Eye shields must be clear  Shin guards  Body protector  Non-adults warming up a pitcher MUST wear a mask/helmet combination (on and OFF field)

 Player equipment  Caps, visors and headbands may be mixed  Caps/visors must be the same color  Any color headband/hair device (or multi-colored) may be worn. Teammates do not have to match  Players may also wear unadorned unadorned devices, such as bobby pins, barrettes or hair clips, no longer than two inches, to control a player’s hair  Sleeve lengths may vary  EXPOSED undergarments must match among teammates, but upper and lower body undergarments need not match

 Player equipment (cont.)  The pitcher may not wear any item on her pitching hand, wrist, arm or thighs which, in the umpires judgment, be distracting to the batter.

 Pitching distance is now 43 feet  This is measured from the tip of home plate to the front of the pitcher’s plate  This should create a better balance between offense and defense

 Prior to delivery:  Both feet must be in contact with the pitcher’s plate  The pitcher shall take (or simulate taking) a signal  Bring both hands together in front of the body for not less than one second but no more than 10- seconds  May step off with both feet—either foot may be removed first

 Stepping on/off example

 About the pitch  Pitch starts when one hand is taken off the ball or any motion is made which is part of the windup  The pitcher may take one forward step towards the batter  The pivot foot may remain in contact with or may push off and DRAG away from the pitcher’s plate prior to the front foot touching the ground, as long as the pivot foot maintains contact with the ground and within the 24-inch length.  Crow hop and leap are illegal!

 Crow hop

 Leap

 24 inch length violation

 Legal Delivery  The release of the ball and follow-through of the hand/wrist must be forward past the vertical line of the body  The hand shall be below the hip and the wrist not farther from the body than the elbow  Sidearm delivery is illegal  The pitch shall be delivered on the throwing arm side of the body and not behind the back or between the legs

 This is illegal…

 Windup  Pitch must be delivered as soon as motion starts  Once hands separate, pitcher is committed to pitch  Windup may not stop or reverse forward motion  Pitcher may not make more than 1.5 revolutions of the arm  Windup may not continue after taking the forward step or after the ball is released

 Example of windup after ball is released

 Other infractions  Deliberately rolling the ball to prevent the batter from striking it (DDB-Ball/1 base)  Using tape/foreign substance on pitching hand or ball.  Pitcher who licks her fingers must wipe them off before contacting the ball (Dead ball/illegal pitch)  Ball slips out of pitcher’s hand during backswing or forward motion  Ball to batter. Ball is LIVE and runners may advance at their own risk. Defense may retrieve ball immediately unless batter has no opportunity to contact ball.  IF batter has a legitimate opportunity to hit and swings at the pitch, a strike shall be called. The ball is in play if it is batted

 Other infractions  Pitcher shall not throw to a base while in contact with pitcher’s plate (DB/IP)  It is an illegal pitch if all defensive players are not in fair territory (except the catcher) (DB/IP)  Catcher is not in catchers box with pitch is released (DDB/IP)  Catcher fails to return ball directly to pitcher (except to make a play on a runner or a strikeout/putout made by the catcher) (Ball )