Girls Fastpitch Softball Pitching

Question
QUESTION: I have been assisting a middle school girls fastpitch softball team, and one pitcher starts with her hands apart taking the sign, then swings her arms (hands apart) forward at little, back a little, then back up above her head where her hands come together, back down and apart, then starts forward with her body and arm for a full turn around towards the plate.  Do her hands being together going up above her head constitute enough to be legal according to the one second rule?

ANSWER: Yes it does.

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QUESTION: Can you give me a rule reference handbook page and rule number to give the umpire should I be challenged on this?  (this would be Washington State middle school girls fastpitch softball)

Answer
Mark,

You won't find what you are looking for in the rule book.  The only thing you will find is the the hands must come together for one second prior to the pitch.

The book describes how the pitcher can step on the plate, where the feet can move prior to the pitch, certain mechanical things like the hand being below or inside the elbow at release, no replanting of the pivot foot, one foot always in contact with the ground and a few other things.  The rule book does not state when the hands must come together prior to the pitch.  There is not any description of legal pitches.  Any pitching style that doesn't violate the rules is legal.

At umpire trainings that I have attended in Michigan for both ASA and high school this has been extensively discussed.  What we look for is the hands coming together.  Simply stated, if the hands come together, they have come together for one second.  To fairly call a pitch illegal for not coming together for one second is nearly impossible.  Any umpire that is doing this is "picking boogers" in umpire circles.  If this is happening request that your AD not rehire this guy.  If your school uses an assignor, have your AD make a request to the assignor.

During the game your only option if the umpire is calling this is to tell your pitcher to make sure her hands come together for a longer period of time.  This is a judgement call and what the umpires judges is what it is.

Hope this helps.

Tom