Umpire's Corner Content

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The pitcher shall take a position with both feet firmly on the ground and with one or both feet in contact with the pitcher’s plate. The pitcher’s pivot foot (ie foot on either side of the throwing arm) shall be in contact with the pitcher’s plate throughout the delivery.

 (Seniors) The pitcher may take a position from the front edge of the pitcher’s plate to ten feet (NCSS – six feet) behind the pitcher’s plate within the 24 inch width of the pitcher’s plate with both feet firmly on the ground. 

The pivot foot shall remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate until the pitched ball leaves the hand. If a step is taken, it may be forward, backward, or to the side, provided one foot remains in contact with the pitcher’s plate and the step is simultaneous with the release of the ball.

Note Local Rule 6.2:   

A pitch must be delivered from the rubber/pitching line or up to a point of six feet behind the rubber/pitching line. A pitcher cannot release the ball if both feet are ahead of the rubber or pitching line.

Bottom Line: one of the pitcher's feet must be on or directly behind the pitching line.

A catch is a legally caught ball, which occurs when the fielder catches a batted, pitched or thrown ball with the hand(s) or glove/mitt.

1 To establish a valid catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove
control of it and/or that the release of the ball is voluntary.

2 If the ball is merely held in the fielder’s arm(s) or prevented from dropping to the ground by some part of the fielder’s body, equipment or clothing, the catch is not completed until the ball is in the grasp of the fielder’s hand(s) or glove/mitt.

3 The fielder’s feet must be within the field of play, touching the “out of play” line
or in the air after leaving live ball territory in order to have a valid catch. A player
who is “out of play” and returns must have both feet touching live ball territory
or one foot touching and the other in the air, for the catch to be legal.

1 If a fielder, while gaining control, collides with another player, umpire or a fence, or falls to the ground and drops the ball as a result of the collision or falling to the ground.

2 If a ball strikes anything other than a defensive player while it is in flight it is the same as if it struck the ground.

3 When a fielder catches a batted or thrown ball with anything other than the
hand(s) or glove/mitt in its proper place.

 This all sounds somewhat confusing, but if you learn the rule and approach it systematically you can usually untangle it without too much trouble. Also note that 6.03(b) Approved Ruling includes several example scenarios. 

These are useful learning tools.

The flow diagram above summarizes how to handle each of the batting-out-of-order scenarios:

 When the runner fails to keep contact with the base to which they are entitled until a pitched ball is batted, touches the ground, or reaches home plate.

(Note: many NCSS players do not realize the 3rd condition in this rule. If the ball reaches the vertical plain of the home plate, the runner is allowed to leave their base.) 

Two runners may not occupy the same base at the same time.

Effect:  The runner who first legally occupied the base is entitled to that base, unless forced to advance.

(Note: It is not an automatic out when two players both occupy the base. The player not entitled to the base must be tagged.)