Checked Swing Ranks
Among the Toughest Calls
Quotes below are taken from the more detailed article titled “Reality of Calling A Checked Swing” from Referee Magazine.
“Many umpires would agree that there are very few judgment calls in baseball that are tougher to make than a checked swing. Whether you are the plate umpire having to instantaneously switch your concentration from the pitch’s location to the hitter’s commitment, or a field umpire in the middle of the diamond with absolutely no angle, few situations can be tougher to judge.
“The NCAA rulebook (for baseball) indicates that a checked swing shall be called a strike ‘if the barrel head of the bat crosses the front edge of home plate or the batter’s front hip.’ That is pretty simple and straightforward language, however, not particularly easy to distinguish.
“Umpires need to accept that asking for help is the right thing to do when an appeal is requested, even if they are sure that the batter didn’t commit.”
NCAA SOFTBALL RULES:
● 2016 / 2017 NCAA rules (PDF)
● 2017 Experimental Rules FAQ
● 2017 Approved Experimental Rules
● 2018 and 2019 Major Rules Changes
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| Wesley Wolverine sophomore #2 3B/SS Karina Cardona (Cooper City, FL). |
