Howard County Officials Training

1. Howard County Officials Training Rule 6 Pitching Regulations (Slow Pitch)

2. 2008 Changes 2007 Rule • Section 1. PRELIMINARIES • The pitcher must take a position with both feet firmly on the ground and with one or both feet in contact with the pitcher’s plate. • EFFECT: Delayed Dead Ball, Illegal Pitch • Section 1. PRELIMINARIES • The pitcher must take a position with both feet firmly on the ground and with one or both feet in contact with the pitcher’s plate. • EFFECT: Delayed Dead Ball, Illegal Pitch • (Seniors) The pitcher may take a position from the front edge of the pitcher’s plate to six feet behind the pitcher’s plate within the 24 inch width of the pitcher’s plate with both feet firmly on the ground. • EFFECT: Delayed Dead Ball, Illegal Pitch

3. Preliminaries Defense • Fair Territory • Catcher

4. 4 Feet Not part ofcatcher’s box. 3 Feet 3 Feet 3 Feet 17” 10 Feet 6” 6” Catcher’s Box Violations SLOW PITCH – Catcher must remain in catcher’s box until pitched ball is batted, touches the ground or plate, or reaches the catcher’s box. Batter’s boxes are not a part of the catcher’s box. R/S #8 The catcher cannot move close to the plate if the batter is at the front of the batters box.

5. Preliminaries Defense Feet Simulate Pitch Stop Illegal Pitch – Delayed Dead Ball • Dead Ball • Illegal Pitch • Warning • Fair Territory • Catcher • Complete • Body Facing Plate • Ball In Front of Body • Firmly On Ground • Contact with Pitcher’s Plate • Seniors Exception

6. Delivery Illegal Pitch – Delayed Dead Ball Verbal Release Arc Time Continuous Motion Continue Step • Underhand • 1st Past Hip • Not Behind Back • Not Between Legs • Not from Glove • Minimum – 6’ • Maximum – 12’ • Excessive Speed • 10 Seconds • Direction • Pivot Foot • Timing

7. Catcher Restrictions • 1. Ball is Batted • 2. Ball Hits: • Ground • Plate • Batter • 3. Reaches Catcher’s Box Leave Catcher’s Box Illegal Pitch – Delayed Dead Ball • 3rd Strike • Runner Stealing Ball Back to Pitcher Ball On Batter

8. No Pitch DROPPED BALL RUNNER LEAVES BASE OFFICIAL TIME RUNNER OFF BASE OFFENSE TIME Confusion Runner Out Legitimate

9. Other Issues Pitcher’s Arm/Hand Foreign Substance On Ball Defense Attempts To Distract Batter Legal Tape/Band-Aid Sweatband First Offense Illegal Pitch Offending Player Ejected Illegal Batting Glove Subsequent Offense Ejection

10. Warm-Up Pitches Start Of Game Start Of Inning Pitching Change 1 Minute 3 Pitches Start Of Game Pitching Change 5 Pitches Book Reality Pitcher Returns 0 Pitches Pitcher Returns 0 Pitches Start Of Inning 1 Pitch

11. Slow Pitch Softball Strike • A SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL STRIKE: • Must have a legal arc: • Minimum 6-feet from the ground. • Maximum 12-feet from the ground. • Must be delivered underhand at a moderate speed • Is judged when it crosses the plate.

12. 9” 22” 18” 17”

13. Slow Pitch Softball Strike • A SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL STRIKE: • Must have a legal arc: • Minimum 6-feet from the ground. • Maximum 12-feet from the ground. • Must be delivered underhand at a moderate speed • Is judged when it crosses the plate. • Must be a pitched ball that passes through the strike zone which is that space over any part of home plate between the batter’s back shoulder and his/her front knee when the batter assumes his/her natural batting stance.

14. Slow Pitch Softball Strike BACK SHOULDER BACK SHOULDER BALL Some part of alegally pitchedball must passthrough thiszone to becalled a strike. KNEES KNEES STRIKE BALL STRIKE STRIKE Remember that the position of a batterin the batter’s box makes no difference.The plate and batter’s natural stance atthe plate are the controlling factors. A pitched ball that touches homeplate and is not struck at is always a ball.