minor A softball foul ball rules caught by catcher

Question
I was coaching in my game tonight and my team was on the field their batters up and fouls a ball directly back to my catcher and she catches it and umpire rules it as not an out i protested the call and she said it had to be higher than the batters head? is she right or was it an out

Answer
Hi Michelle,

If you play by ASA rules the following applies....

A "foul tip" is a ball that goes from the bat sharply and directly to the catchers hand or glove and is legally caught by the catcher.  This is a strike and only an out if it is the 3rd strike.  You stated the batted ball went directly back to your catcher, without seeing it, chances are it was a foul tip.

A " foul ball" in this case does not go "sharply and directly", it may have a perceptible arc, the catcher moves their glove, etc. and if legally caught by the catcher is an out.

For future reference I'm giving you our entire RS on this so you can study it and be the expert on this type of play for coaching your team.  Just take your time, understand each paragraph and write me back if you have any questions.


22. FOUL BALL / FOUL TIP
The reference of the 揾eight of the batter抯 head?as it relates to a Foul Ball
and Foul Tip no longer applies. This change, instituted in 2006, allows more
opportunity for the catcher to obtain 搊uts?by catching foul batted balls the
same as the first and third base person who is playing closer to home plate.
Umpires only need to judge whether the ball moves from the bat 搒harply?br> and 揹irectly?versus a ball that has a perceptible arc and / or if the catcher
moves their glove / mitt to catch the ball after contact with the bat.
The definition of a foul ball has not changed. However, a foul tip is now
defined as a batted ball that goes sharply and directly from the bat to the
catcher抯 glove / mitt or hand and is legally caught by the catcher. It is not
a foul tip unless caught and any foul tip that is caught is a strike, and the
ball remains live in Fast Pitch and Slow Pitch with stealing. It is not a catch
if the ball rebounds off the catcher, unless the ball has first touched the
catcher抯 glove / mitt or hand. Again, a foul tip can only be caught by the
catcher. Examples of foul ball and foul tip follow:

A. A foul ball with 損erceptible?arc goes toward the catcher抯 left and
the catcher moves their glove / mitt to catch the ball. In this situation,
the batter is out and the ball remains live just as it would when
any other fielder catches a foul fly ball.

B. The foul ball rebounds from the bat with a 損erceptible arc?shoulder
high and the catcher moves upward with the glove / mitt to make
the catch. In this situation, the batter is out and the ball remains
live just as it would when any other fielder catches a foul fly ball.

C. The pitcher throws a rise ball and the catcher is moving up as the
pitch is on the way to home plate. The batter squares to bunt the
ball above their head and the ball goes in a straight line from the bat
to the glove / mitt and the catcher catches the ball. In this situation,
it is a foul tip. It does not matter that the ball is above the batter抯
head. The only thing that matters when determining whether it is
a foul tip is the fact that the ball goes directly from the bat to the
catcher抯 glove / mitt or hand and then is caught by the catcher.

Umpires must be alert to the fact that runners need to tag-up on a batted
foul ball that is caught. This increases the opportunity for more 搊uts? not
only with the catcher catching the ball but the opportunity for more appeal
plays with a runner leaving a base too soon on a caught fly ball. Remember,
the runner must wait until 揻irst touch?before breaking contact with a base on
a caught fly ball, fair or foul. Runners may leave when the pitch is released
in Fast Pitch and when the pitch reaches the front edge of home plate in
Slow Pitch with stealing, if the ball is judged to be a foul tip.

Mark