FastPitch Pitching rules
Question
I am a volunteer coach for a recreation league which is suppose to follow HS regulations for fastpitch. I am playing a team this Wednesday (11 June) in which their pitcher consistantly pitches with a VERY high arc but it will drop in the middle of the plate. The umpires have consistently called these strikes. Prior to the game, how can I reference my question about her pitching technique without sounding like I am questioning the umpires authority? If you can send me any references that site how the fastpitch does not have an arc, I would greatly appreciate it.
Answer
Tara,
I checked the rule book and I can't find anything that would cause an umpire to call these balls.
From the rule book.
"The strike zone (F.P.) is the space over home plate which is between the batter's forward armpit and the top to the knees when the batter assumes a natural batting stance. Any part of the ball passing through the strike zone in flight shall be considered a strike. The umpire shall determine the batter's strike zone according to the batter's usual stance."
There isn't anything that says the ball needs to enter the strike zone from the front of the zone. I don't have a case book handy, but I will look at it and revise my answer if anything changes.
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