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The following questions and answers have come through our "ASK AN UMP" form. Please refer to that page to ask your questions and we will post the more commonly asked questions here!
Question: Is there any rule which states how many males can bat in row in
your line up?
Answer: In NSA co-ed slo-pitch (6 & 4 or 7 & 3), there is no rule that states how many male or female batters that can be in a row on the order other than the restrictions as to the number of males and females that must be in the line-up. It is legal to place all six male batters in a row in a 6 and 4 tournament. The exception to this is 5 and 5 co-ed where the line-up must alternate male and female. You may start with either a male or female batter but you must then alternate your line-up.
Question: What is the walking rule for Guys when a Girl's on deck and what about walking a run home when this happens?
Answer: There is no walk rule for a guy followed by a guy, this is just a standard
walk to first. Any walk to a guy with a gal on deck results in him being awarded second
base and the gal having the option to hit or walk. This could be with a called ball after a 3
ball, 2 strike count with the bases loaded and 2 out in the bottom of the
seventh inning. The only thing that matters in
NSA play with walks is a male batter is walked with a female on-deck, this
gets the guy second base. As for walks with the bases loaded, of course that would walk a run home,
two (2) runs if there is a guy walked with a gal on deck.
Question: Could you clarify the infield fly rule?
Answer: The infield fly rule is most easily explained as being in effect when there
are at least two (2) forces in the infield with less than two (2) outs.
This means that there are runners at first and second or the bases are
loaded and there are less than two (2) outs.
To qualify as a fly ball and not a line drive, the ball must travel in an
arc of some kind. Some umpires will use two (2) feet over the pitcher's
head while others will use a minimum height of eight (8) feet to define a"fly ball" but this is a judgement call by the umpire at the time of the
hit.
The true key to an infield fly however is the statement that it "can be
caught by an infielder with an ordinary effort". This means that if a
shortstop has to run ten steps into left field and dive to make the catch
then the infield fly rule does not apply. However, if that same shortstop
had been playing back ten steps into left field and could therefore catch
the fly after taking only a couple of steps, then this is an infield fly.
It does not matter where the infielders start nor where they can catch the
ball, if they can get there with a reasonable effort (again, in the
judgement of the umpire) then this is an infield fly.
The
most important part is the first part with the forces and outs, if you
understand when the rule is in play then the rest is really up to the
umpire's judgement.
Question: Is it true that in NSA Co-Ed ball that you can't have a girl catching and a girl pitching?
Answer: Yes, in all forms of NSA Co-Ed ball (6 & 4 or 7 & 3) there must be a guy/girl pitcher/catcher combination. Either the guy or the girl can pitch but the other must then catch. There are even more restrictions in NSA Co-Ed 5 and 5. In this form of Co-Ed there must be 2 girls in the outfield and 2 girls in the infield along with the guy/girl pitcher/catcher combination. The reasons for these rules you would have to get from the NSA executive at the annual general meeting.
Question: Why do ladies have to hit the smaller ball?
Answer: The idea behind the smaller ball for ladies is to allow them to hit it farther and therefore increase their chances of getting a hit as well as even the playing field for Co-Ed (where the umpire switches the ball for male/female batters). These balls are not only smaller (11 inches in diameter as opposed to 12) but they are often harder (core 47 or 50 vs. core 44) and therefore they do fly farther when hit.
Question: What is the pitching height/restrictions with NSA?
Answer: The ball must be delivered with an arc and reach a height between six(6) and ten(10) feet from the ground.
Question: Can a 3rd base runner proceed to home when a ball is overthrown to third?
Answer: In general terms, runners are awarded 2 bases from the base they owned at
time of the pitch for the first play from the infield or 2 bases from the
base they owned at the time of the release of the throw from the outfield.
In your example below, if the runner started the play at third base and the
ball was thrown out of play then the runner is awarded home. If the runner
started the play at second and was running toward third when the throw was
made then the runner is awarded home also because 2 bases are awarded (third
and home) from the last base owned (second base in this case).
This is a rule that I get asked about all the time and the biggest mistake I
hear about is the old "the base you are going to plus one" that a lot of
people were taught. This is not correct and has never been correct in
baseball at any level or of any type.
MORE QUESTIONS? Write us - click here "ASK AN UMP"
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