NCAA Playing Rules Interpretations

March, 2014

1. Code of Ethics—National Anthem Standoff—Any shall eject any player, coach, manager or trainer for violations of the Coaches & Players Code of Ethics, p. 10. Conferences may choose to implement additional penalties (See Appendix D). The UIC is to warn the head coach of the offending team that should any player not return to his area immediately after the playing of the National Anthem and the Flag has been retired, the head coach and player(s) shall be ejected immediately.

2. As a reminder, bats approved for NCAA competition through the Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) certification process are listed online.

3. 2-25—Misconduct penalty chart for suspensions following ejections are on the NCAA web site. Sent by Brad Woodward to all head coaches and conference umpire coordinators. It has been posted on the NCAA ArbiterSports Central Hub.

4. 2-25—after an ejection, how much time does a coach have to leave the field? The offending individual must leave the field immediately and is not allowed to communicate with the teams or umpires.

5. 2-25, A.R. 5—whenever a pitcher is ejected for disputing an umpire’s decision or unsportsmanlike conduct toward an umpire, whether while serving as the current pitcher of record, after having been removed from the game that is still in progress, or the game has concluded and the ejection is post- participation, the suspension will be for a total of four games. (Replaces previous interpretation that the pitcher would serve an additional one game penalty for the post-participation ejection).

6. 2-25, A.R. 6; 3-1b, 3-2 and 3-3d, Penalty—“Assistant coaches and players may not leave their position on the field or dugout area to appeal any play on the field.” Head coaches are ultimately responsible for their team’s actions on the field. There is a difference between a discussion and an argument; however, participants, other than the head coach should not be the ones to represent their team in communication with the umpire.

7. 2-32—: less than two outs, R1, two strikes on the batter, R1 is stealing. Batter swings and misses a that is in the dirt. Catcher throws to F4 covering second. May he touch the base for a force or must he tag R1? R1 MUST BE TAGGED. This is a not a force out. When two are out, it is a force out, albeit in rather unconventional form but it is a force all the same.

8. Rule 4-7—relating to the dress of trainers and managers: Only eligible players and coaches are to be dressed in the team’s game uniform. Training staff and team managers shall be dressed appropriately for their specific team responsibilities. To eliminate any confusion as to their responsibilities while on the field, manager’s and trainer’s attire shall be different that the uniforms worn by eligible players and coaches. 9. 5-5b, A.R. 2—A substitute becomes a player when, “he has been reported to the umpire-in-chief and the new player is written into the umpire-in-chief’s line-up card. There are no “future” substitutions in the college game.

In a 10-man line-up, the old pitcher may pinch or pinch for the DH. This change must be announced at the time the pitcher is removed. There is no loss of DH but the player may not re-enter the contest in any other capacity. Violation of this rule requires that the pitcher be disqualified from the game.

10. 6-2e sand 8-5k—synced by adding the words in “red” below: 6-2, “a fair-hit ball touches a runner in fair territory before touching an infielder or an umpire and before passing all infielders who have a chance to make a play on a ball, other than the pitcher. Runners advanced if forced. (See 8-5k). The ball is declared dead immediately and runners return to the bases occupied at the time of the pitch.

11. 8-5k—The runner, including a runner in contact with a base, is hit while in fair territory by a before it has touched a fielder or passed all infielders who have a chance to make a play on the ball, other than the pitcher . . . .

12. 7-2a—must a DH have to bat one time before he can be substituted for? No. This proposal was presented to the Coordinators in the 2012 meeting in Omaha but was not supported to go forward to the Rules Committee for the 2013-2014 rules edition.

13. 8-5j, A.R. 1—in the situation where the third out is recorded at any base other than first base, no run may score if the fourth out is due to the batter-runner not reaching first base before he has been put out.

 Example: Two outs, bases loaded, base hit, R3 scores, R2 is thrown out at the plate. B/R has not touched first base due to a leg injury. F2 throws to F3 and the B/R is tagged out.

This is a special situation that would fall under the “fourth-out” appeal process and would allow the defense to take any of the last two outs they would choose for the third out. This interpretation is supported by a response from Jim Evans as to how it is interpreted at the professional level.

14. 8-5i; 8-6b (9) — Example: R2, R3, one out. Fly ball to F7 for out number two. Both runners legally tag and advance. R3 clearly passes home plate before R2 is tagged out at third, but misses’ home plate. R3 does not leave the dirt circle. He returns, at the dugouts prompting, to touch home clearly after R2 has been tagged out. Since R3 never touched home plate prior to R2 being declared out at third base, no run can be scored. In the case of an appeal happening on the third out, follow the same principle. “No runner following the appealed third out may score or if the third out is a force out, no runners preceding or following the appealed out shall score.”

15. 9-1a; 9-2a—the pitcher’s illegal foot position in the windup. Rules book language supports the umpire’s calling this after issuing a warning. If the pitcher’s free foot is entirely in front of the pivot foot at the beginning of the windup, it is in an illegal position. In an effort to prevent the onset of any penalties, it is strongly recommended that the plate umpire bring this issue to the attention of the head coach during the warm-up period to allow him the opportunity to correct his pitcher’s illegal starting position before the start of play. After a formal warning, the illegal start of the windup shall be penalized.

To bring an increased degree of officiating consistency across the country, all conference coordinators are expected to address this situation with their umpires and to inform them of the need to take preventative, corrective action as described above and then to enforce the rule as written.

16. 9-3m (Penalty) (2)—if after a call of “” the pitcher makes a wild throw, runners are allowed to advance beyond the base they would have been awarded at their own risk. When the ball is returned to the and is the possession of a “fielder,” the ball becomes dead. By rule, why is the pitcher considered an infielder (fielder) when he disengages from the rubber and then makes a wild throw? It gives the umpire a reference point as to enforcing the balk penalty.

17. Appendix F— timing protocol: From an interpretation offered in February, 2013, the 90-second clock will start when the last defensive player crosses the foul line in front of his dugout.

18. Appendix F—to avoid a violation of the pitch-clock timing protocol, a coach may use one of his charged time-outs to start an