College World Series Report and Illegal Pitches

[shoxlax]

Other than watching casually, I know nothing about pitching rules. What is all the controversy on illegal pitches? I’ve seen tweets that Bahl for OU does it, the Florida State pitcher got called for it when it hasn’t been called all year and how the hell can umpires accurately see this in real time? Moose or anyone else, what do you think?

[SubGod22]

I haven't watched much of it. I believe an illegal pitch is often supposed to be called when both feet leave the ground (crow hopping). I've only been watching casually and assumed it just wasn't called because I've seen one of the OU pitchers do it repeatedly. Some were insanely obvious.

There's also an illegal pitch call that has something to do with the hands/glove/ball but I'm not as familiar with that one.

[Kung Wu]

Why is illegal pitching even a thing? Who cares if a pitcher jumps up with both feet? The ball is either in the strike zone or it isn't, why can't that be enough?

[flyingMoose]

I consulted my DI umpiring resource mid-game on this one.

As noted, lots and lots of the pitchers do not drag their pivot foot when pushing away from the pitcher's plate. Technically, they are leaping. This is *not* what was being called last night. As long as the toe is basically pointed down and the pitcher is not "flying," that level of leaping is not called.

The explanation given to me involved the stride foot. (Unfortunately, I had stepped out of the room when the final slo-mo "comment" on the infraction was presented. :( ) The pitcher planted her toe behind the pitcher's plate, and then shifted it in some illegal fashion during the pitching motion but before the actual stride. Maybe all of this (with some video) will appear on Google sometime today. When I have time, I intend to try to find some verbiage in an online copy of the Rules Book that might explain this.

Now you know what I know, which is not much.

[flyingMoose]

... when both feet leave the ground (crow hopping).

This is a purely technical note that no one may care to know.

Both feet leaving the ground is leaping. Pushing off from the pitcher's plate, replanting, and pushing again from a spot in front of the pitcher's plate is crow hopping. The most common form of crow hopping is sliding the pivot foot in front of the pitcher's plate, making the push from a place other than the pitcher's plate.

[flyingMoose]

When I have time, I intend to try to find some verbiage in an online copy of the Rules Book that might explain this.

From the 2022-2023 NCAA Softball Rules Book-


10.5 Step/Stride


10.5.2 A portion of the stride foot must remain in contact with the ground at all times before beginning the forward step.

Note: Once the pitcher has established their stride foot, simply dropping or rocking onto their heel is not a violation.


I will continue looking for a video, but I suspect that after establishing her stride foot, the pitcher was inching her stride foot forward (EDIT: or backward), and this was deemed not "in contact with the ground at all times etc."

All of this seems inconsequential, but I also suspect that the NCAA Softball powers have established this interpretation and expect it to be enforced. Especially if you expect to ever work another game at the WCWS series this year or in the future. :)


Okay, far more than you want to know again.

[shoxlax]

Jordy Bahl in the transfer portal? I thought I’d seen everything. I guess her boyfriend plays baseball at Nebraska

[WstateU]

Jordy Bahl in the transfer portal? I thought I’d seen everything.

HUSKERS SOFTBALL BOMBSHELL: 2023 WCWS MVP Jordy Bahl Is Transferring To Nebraska! (msn.com)

[1972Shocker]

Jordy Bahl in the transfer portal? I thought I’d seen everything. I guess her boyfriend plays baseball at Nebraska

I believe her boyfriend is Mucho Dinero but he goes by NIL.

[shoxlax]

I believe her boyfriend is Mucho Dinero but he goes by NIL.

He also will be going by Mr. Bahl….She has mega NIL money where she was at. This is an affair of the heart transfer I honestly believe.