Pass ball vs Wild Pitch
Question
The score keeper for my daughters college team says that any pitch thrown by the pitcher that hits the ground is a wild pitch. I don't agree and was taught deferently. I was taught that if the catcher should/could have blocked the ball with resonable effort that it would be a passed ball by the catcher and not a wild pitch. I don't want to get into a war with the scorekeeper so can you provide a clear explanation of a passed ball and a wild pitch???
Thank you
Answer
1. A wild pitch is charged to the pitcher when the pitcher throws so high, wide or low that the catcher can not handle the ball with ordinary effort and at least one runner advances.
a - Any pitch in the dirt which advances a runner is deemed wild.
b - Only one wild pitch is scored regardless of the number of runners who advance or the number of bases advanced.
c - A third strike that is not handled by the catcher because it was wild, where the batter makes first base safely, is charged to the pitcher as a strikeout and also as a wild pitch (KWP).
d - No wild pitch is scored if a runner was stealing on the release of the wild pitch and only one base is advanced.
2. A passed ball is charged to the catcher when she fails to catch a pitch which could have been caught with ordinary effort and at least one baserunner advances.
a - A bobbled pitch (not dropped) where a runner advances is scored as a stolen base, not a passed ball, even if the runner decides to advance after seeing the bobble.
b - Only one passed ball is charged regardless of the number of runners who advance or the number of bases advanced.
c - A third strike that is not handled by the catcher and which should have been with ordinary effort, and the batter reaches first base safely, is charged to the catcher as a passed ball and the pitcher as a strikeout (KPB).
d - No passed ball is scored if a runner was stealing on the release of the pitch that got away and only one base is earned.
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