1. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

2. CONFERENCE, RULE 6-11A AND B.  THE UMPIRE SHALL NOT PERMIT MORE THAN ONE DEFENSIVE / OFFENSIVE CONFERENCE PER INNING. EFFECT: THE TEAM REPRESENTATIVE (S), WHO HOLDS ANOTHER CHARGED CONFERENCE, SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY EJECTED.

3. PITCHER SUBSTITUTIONS, RULE 8-5B (NEW 4).  A SUBSTITUTE PITCHER IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE GAME ONCE SHE HAS THROWN A WARM-UP PITCH. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

4. BALL DROPPED DURING PITCH, RULE 10-7B.  IF THE BATTER DOES NOT HAVE A REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY TO HIT THE BALL, A DEFENSIVE PLAYER MAY RETRIEVE IT, THE BALL IS LIVE, A BALL IS AWARDED TO THE BATTER, AND BASERUNNER(S) MAY ADVANCE WITH LIABILITY TO BE PUT OUT. IF THE BATTER WOULD HAVE HAD A REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY TO HIT THE BALL BUT THE (ANY) DEFENSIVE PLAYER RETRIEVES IT, OBSTRUCTION IS RULED. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

5. BALL DROPPED DURING PITCH, RULE 10-7B.  EFFECT: THE BALL IS DEAD, AND THE BATTER AND ALL BASE RUNNERS ARE AWARDED ONE BASE (FORCED OR NOT). 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

6. TIME ALLOWED BETWEEN PITCHES, RULE 10-18.  THE PITCHER MUST BE ON THE PITCHER’S PLATE AND THE BATTER IN THE BATTER’S BOX WITHIN 10 SECONDS AFTER THE PITCHER RECEIVES THE BALL OR AFTER THE UMPIRE CALLS, “PLAY BALL.”  AFTER BOTH THE PITCHER AND BATTER ARE IN POSITION, THE PITCHER HAS NO MORE THAN 10 SECONDS TO BRING HER HANDS TOGETHER.  THE PITCHER THEN HAS NO MORE THAN 5 SECONDS TO DELIVER THE PITCH. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

7. The 10 – 10 – 5 RULE 10 SECS  PITCHER ON THE PLATE & BATTER IN THE BOX (STARTS AFTER THE PITCHER GETS THE BALL OR THE UMPIRE CALLS “PLAY BALL.”) 10 SECS  PITCHER MUST BRING HER HANDS TOGETHER 5 SECS  PITCHER MUST START THE DELIVERY OF THE PITCH 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

8. COVERING THE PITCHER’S PLATE, NEW RULE 10-20 A AND B.  A PLAYER SHALL NOT INTENTIONALLY COVER THE PITCHER’S PLATE. EFFECT: A BALL SHALL BE AWARDED TO THE BATTER.  A COACH SHALL NOT INTENTIONALLY COVER THE PITCHER’S PLATE. EFFECT: THE UMPIRE SHALL ISSUE A WARNING TO THE OFFENDING COACH.  SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION BY THE SAME INDIVIDUAL SHALL RESULT IN EJECTION. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

9. STRIKE ZONE, RULE 11-3A.  THE ZONE IS THE AREA ABOVE HOME PLATE BETWEEN THE BOTTOM OF THE BATTER’S STERNUM AND THE TOP OF HER KNEES WHEN SHE ASSUMES HER NATURAL BATTING STANCE.  THE TOP OF THE BALL MUST BE ON OR WITHIN THE HORIZONTAL PLANE AND EITHER SIDE OF THE BALL MUST BE ON OR WITHIN THE VERTICAL PLANE OF THE STRIKE ZONE TO BE A STRIKE UNLESS THE BALL TOUCHES THE GROUND BEFORE REACHING HOME PLATE. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

10. BOTTOM OF STERNUM TOP OF KNEES TOP OF BALL ON OR WITHIN HORIZONTAL PLANE EITHER SIDE OF THE BALL ON OR WITHIN VERTICAL PLANE

11. THROWN BAT, RULE 11-8E1  WHEN A BAT IS THROWN (I.E., DISCARDED WITH FORCE) INTO FAIR TERRITORY, WHETHER INTENTIONALLY OR NOT, AND IT INTERFERES WITH A DEFENSIVE PLAYER ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A PLAY, INTERFERENCE SHALL BE CALLED. (IT IS YOUR JUDGEMENT ON MAKING A PLAY.) 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

12. THROWN BAT, RULE 11-8E1 EFFECT: THE BALL IS DEAD, THE BATTER SHALL BE DECLARED OUT, AND BASE RUNNERS SHALL RETURN TO THE LAST BASE OCCUPIED AT THE TIME OF THE PITCH. IF, IN THE UMPIRE’S JUDGMENT, INTERFERENCE PREVENTED A DOUBLE PLAY, TWO OUTS MAY BE DECLARED. ** THE SECOND OUT IS THE RUNNER BEING PLAYED ON. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

13. THROWN BAT, RULE 11-8E 2  WHEN A BAT IS THROWN INTO FAIR OR FOUL TERRITORY, WHETHER INTENTIONALLY OR NOT, AND IT ENDANGERS A DEFENSIVE PLAYER WHO IS NOT MAKING A PLAY ON THE BALL.. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

14. THROWN BAT, RULE 11-8E 2 EFFECT: DELAYED DEAD BALL IS SIGNALED. FOR THE FIRST OFFENSE THE BATTER IS WARNED AND FOR ANY SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION (BY THE SAME TEAM, NOT EACH OF THE 9 BATTERS), THE OFFENDED COACH IS GIVEN THE OPTION OF THE RESULTS OF THE PLAY OR THE BATTER SHALL BE DECLARED OUT AND BASE RUNNERS SHALL RETURN TO THE LAST BASE OCCUPIED AT THE TIME OF THE PITCH. IF, IN THE UMPIRE’S JUDGMENT, INTERFERENCE PREVENTED A DOUBLE PLAY, TWO OUTS MAY BE DECLARED. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

15. CHECKED SWING, RULE 11-13C ADDITION C.  IF THE PLATE UMPIRE CALLS THE PITCH A BALL AND THE CATCHER REQUESTS HELP, THE PLATE UMPIRE MUST ASK FOR HELP. IF ANYONE ELSE (ON EITHER OFFENSE OR DEFENSE) ASKS FOR HELP, THE UMPIRE MAY (BUT NOT MUST) ASK FOR HELP. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

16. LOOK-BACK RULE, RULE 12-21A AND RULE 12-21C4, RULE 12-21A.  THE LOOK-BACK RULE IS IN EFFECT WHEN THE BALL IS LIVE, THE BATTER- RUNNER HAS TOUCHED FIRST BASE, THERE ARE ONE OR MORE RUNNERS, AND THE PITCHER HAS POSSESSION OF AND CONTROL OF THE BALL WITHIN THE PITCHER’S CIRCLE. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

17. POSSESSION OF AND CONTROL OF THE BALL WITHIN THE PITCHER’S CIRCLE IS WHEN:  BOTH HER FEET ARE WITHIN THE CIRCLE OR ON THE LINES.  THE BALL IS IN THE HAND(S), GLOVE, UNDER THE CHIN, UNDER THE ARMPIT, ETC.  SETTING THE BALL/GLOVE ON THE GROUND TO TIE SHOES, NO LONGER IN POSSESSION OF THE BALL.. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

18. EJECTIONS, RULE 13-1  IN ALL CASES INVOLVING AN EJECTION, THE EJECTING UMPIRE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUBMITTING AN INCIDENT REPORT, IN WRITING, TO THE NCAA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BUT NOT LATER THAN 72 HOURS AFTER THE INCIDENT. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

19. UMPIRE APPAREL AND EQUIPMENT, RULE 15-1.1A  THE NAVY BLUE, SHORT-SLEEVE PULLOVER SHIRT WITH RED AND WHITE TRIM OR A SOLID NAVY BLUE, LONG-SLEEVE SHIRT MAY BE SUBSTITUTED IF ALL UMPIRES CONCUR. ** 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

20. IMPROPER PLAYER CHART, APPENDIX B.1. OFFENDING TEAM CORRECTS OWN MISTAKE (OFFENSE) RULE 11-11.  OFFENSE MAY CORRECT BATTING OUT OF ORDER ONLY WHILE BATTER IS IN THE BATTER’S BOX DURING HER TURN AT BAT. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES

21. BAT CERTIFICATION  NO MORE BATS WITH THE 2000 ASA SEAL  THE NCAA WILL ALSO LIST NON- APPROVED BATS ON THEIR WEB SITE

22. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES REPOSITIONED DEFENSIVE PLAYER  DEFINSIVE PLAYERS CAN REPOSITION THEMSELVES FOR A CERTAIN PLAY / BATTER WITH NO PENALTY  NOTIFYING THE OPPOSING COACH AND SCOREKEEPER IS NOT REQUIRED

23. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES CATCHER / FIELDER OBSTRUCTION  ON A PITCH THAT HAS NOT REACHED THE PLATE, IF THE CATCHER / FIELDER PREVENTS THE BATTER FROM HAVING A REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTACT THE PITCH:  THE BALL IS DEAD  BATTER AND ALL BASE RUNNERS ARE AWARDED ONE BASE  WHETHER FORCED OR NOT

24. 2008 NCAA RULE CHANGES That all for this year!