When can the runner leave on a fly ball?

[Ice Man]

What is the rule according to Texas high school rules (who follow NCAA or UIL?) and ASA rules?

R1 on third base, less than 2 outs. Ball is hit to left fielder in the air. Obvious tag situation for the runner. While runner is standing at the bag on third, the ball hits the left fielder's glove and is being bobbled. No control of the catch has been established. While ball is being juggled, R1 leaves from third heading for home. While running to home, the left fielder gains control of the ball which never hit the ground.

What is the ruling on when the runner can leave the bag? Is it when the ball first hits the glove or after the ball has been in control of the left fielder? I understand that control is in the opinion of the umpire.

Is it different for Texas high school rules (who follow NCAA or UIL?) then ASA? Or are they the same?

[Comp]

The runner can leave on first touch. If they were on base or properly tagged up after the ball was first touched they are legal.

[watcher]

The runner can leave on first touch. If they were on base or properly tagged up after the ball was first touched they are legal.

We have a winnaaaaaa

[Bretman]

Is it different for Texas high school rules (who follow NCAA or UIL?) then ASA? Or are they the same?

I would be extremely surprised if Texas high schools are following some rule that is any different than the ASA rule on this. Let me put it this way- I've held certification or sanction for about a half dozen different baseball or softball associations over the years and this rule has been the same for all of them (runners can leave when the ball is first touched). In the course of studying rules for other organizations, I've probably looked at a dozen other various rule sets and they've all been the same, too.

I think it's safe to say that this is one rule that is universal for all baseball and softball rule sets.

But it wasn't always so! You have to go back around 100 years to the early days of baseball to understand why is rule is written the way it is today. Go back far enough and the rule did say that a runner had to tag up until the ball was caught. Outfielders of the day soon found a way to exploit that wording of the rule.

On a fly ball to the outfield, a crafty fielder would purposely juggle the ball all the way to the infield before securing it, thus preventing the runner's advance. To close this loophole, the rule was rewritten to say that runner's could leave base when the ball was first touched, not when it was eventually controlled for a catch.

This was about 20-30 years before the first softball rule book was even written. When it was published, the "first touch" wording was maintained and it's stayed that way to this day.

[Ice Man]

Thanks for the clarification on this rule. Again, I have learned something new about the game and will continue to do so here on heybucket!!! Thanks to all that posted.

[Jalamander]

I think it's safe to say that this is one rule that is universal for all baseball and softball rule sets.

I concur with Bretman. Every rule set I've studied contains the "first touch" wording.

[GIMNEPIWO]

I think it's safe to say that this is one rule that is universal for all baseball and softball rule sets.

I concur with Bretman. Every rule set I've studied contains the "first touch" wording.

11.) Thou shalt leave on first touch

[Crabby_Bob]

11.) Thou shalt leave on first touch

And the penalty for failure to do so is The Bench.

[skahtboi]

What is the rule according to Texas high school rules (who follow NCAA or UIL?) and ASA rules?

Is it different for Texas high school rules (who follow NCAA or UIL?) then ASA? Or are they the same?

Texas HS do not use NCAA rules, though, if they did, it would be no different than the citation you have already been given. Also, the University Interscholastic League (UIL) merely governs competition in the state, they do not provide the rules, or, as of this writing, the officials. The rules are the same ones that most state HS associations in the United States are using, which are rules written by the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS). In this rule set, there is also no difference as to when a player may leave on a fly ball.