Extra Hitters Under ASA Softball Rules

Question
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Followup To
Question -
Dear Larry,

Here is my understanding of the ASA rules regarding use of the extra hitter(s):

A) To use the extra hitter, a team must start with the extra hitter, one extra for men's or women's; two extra (one each male/female) for coed.

B) A team that starts with the extra hitter can later remove the extra hitter. For example, a coed team can start with 12 batters, but in the fourth inning remove one male/one female from the lineup and bat 10.

C) A team that does not use the extra hitter at the outset cannot insert an extra hitter later in the game.

Question #1 -- Am I correct or incorrect regarding A-B-C above?

Question #2 -- Can a team start with the extra hitter, remove the extra hitter, then reinsert the extra hitter?

Question #3 -- Can a team start without the extra hitter but then insert the extra hitter before batting through the lineup. For example, a team sends five batters to the plate in the first inning and five batters to the plate in the second inning. Can the team then insert an extra hitter to lead off the third inning?

Thank you!

Ken Boos


Answer -
Hello Ken

I'm answering your questions according the ASA rules however your local league may have modifications to the ASA rules.

A) Appears to be true
B) False 鈥?If the extra player(s) is used the EP must be used the entire game.
C) Appears to be true.

1) False for B. If an EP is used, all 11 (12 coed) on the starting lineup must bat and any ten of those 11 (12 coed) may play defense. Defensive positions may be changed, but the batting order must remain the same.

2) False. The EP can be substituted for at any time with a player that hasn't played yet however if you start with 11 (12 coed) in the batting order it stays at that for the duration of the game.

3) False. The EP is optional, but if one is used, it must be made known prior to the start of the game and be listed on the scoring sheet in the regular batting order.


Follow-up to #3 with a situation:

* A coed team submits a lineup with 12 batters, including two extra hitters batting #11 (male) and #12 (female).

* #11 batter is not present at the start of the game.

* The team reaches the 11th spot in the batting order, and the #11 batter is still not present. There is no other male player available to substitute.

Based on the previous answer, the team cannot now remove the extra hitters from the batting order -- so does the team take an automatic out in the #11 position?

Thank you!


Answer
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Reply to follow-up question

Yes that is correct. Using the ASA Extra Player rule - if a player listed on the batting lineup leaves or is not present for the game for any reason other than injury and there is no substitute, an out will be recorded each time the player is scheduled to bat. If line-up reduction was due to injury, then the team must finish the game with ten players with no penalties.

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