You make the call......

[hotwheels]

What is a balk in softball?

Illegal pitch equivalent to a balk.....Sorry! We had this called on a team we were playing 3 weeks ago in Mission Viejo and the umpire referred to it as a balk

[Comp]

I can tell your for a fact that in a College game they called it a no pitch just last week. The batter called for time and stepped out without being granted time and the pitcher stopped mid windup. OC chirped for the illegal pitch, umpire ruled that the actions of the batter caused the pitcher to stop her windup and therefore it was a no pitch and a warning to the batter.

[GIMNEPIWO]

If the Blue did not see, or the batter did not step out of the box, the call was correct, illegal pitch any baserunners advance one base from the time of the pitch without liability of being put out ... however:
NHFS Rule 7-3-1
In the casebook ; As F1 starts her pitch, B1 requests time by either stepping out of the box or putting her hands up. The pitcher (a) hestitates or stops her pitch or (b) legally delivers the ball.
Ruling: In (a) the umpire shall declare a 'no pitch' and in (b) the umpire shall call a strike.*
* Doesn't matter where the ball is delivered in relation to the strike zone. Strike on the batter.

And I think its ASA Rule 7-L :A strike shall be called on the batter, when between pitches, the batter leaves the batters box illegally or does not return to the box after a warning.

[wadeintothem]

When the batter steps out and the pitcher stops pitching you have an infraction on both the batter and pitcher and the proper call is to call time, let em know whats up, and reset them.

ie.. yes its a no pitch

[wadeintothem]

Its an illegal pitch if time out is not granted. I've seen batters/coaches use a late time out request to induce an ip. Also, if a pitcher slips/falls during a pitch but doesnt release the ball it is an ip. Always finish your motion and release.

In both ASA and NFHS, actions designed to "induce" an IP, ie calling time etc = No Pitch.

As I said above, in both ASA and NFHS, whent there is an infraction on both the batter and pitcher - it is a no pitch.

That said, everyone should teach their pitchers to throw the ball once their hands separate. Always throw the ball, IMO, even if an umpire calls time. Bring it.

So in review - If your hands are together, step back off the rubber. If you have begun and your hands have separated ie your pitch has begun, throw it.

If a batter steps out and the pitcher throws it, you just might get a freebie strike.. if not, no harm no foul.

Throw the ball.

If an umpire didnt see the batter step out.. well thats why you good coaches are teaching the pitchers to throw the ball no matter what.

Umpires expect pitchers will deliver the ball, even if they call time. We know that most pitchers are taught that or should be taught that. So throw it.

[Bretman]

There ain't no cryin' in baseball and there ain't no balks in softball!

Agree that if the batter stepping out, without being granted time, caused the pitcher to stop her motion then you have a "no pitch". Call time, issue any warnings required, let them reset and play on.

[BonezMom]

Thank you everyone for confirming what I already knew...... it just goes to show that coaches will do anything to win sometimes... my 10yo DD told me the coach told the batter to call time.. she is one smart cookie... it cost us the game and going to the championships... but I am a little smarter now

Thank you!!!

[wadeintothem]

Thank you everyone for confirming what I already knew...... it just goes to show that coaches will do anything to win sometimes... my 10yo DD told me the coach told the batter to call time.. she is one smart cookie... it cost us the game and going to the championships... but I am a little smarter now

Thank you!!!

More importantly, hopefully your pitcher learned something; before it REALLY counts.

[BonezMom]

I posted on ask the experts .com and this is the reply I got...

You are here: AllExperts > Sports > Softball > Softball

Answered Question

Subject Balk in Softball
Question In mid wind up the batter signals time out to the umpire and steps out of the box. The pitcher stops her deliver and never releases the ball. The umpire called a balk and advanced the base runners? Is that a correct call?
Answer Hi,

there is no such animal as "balk" in softball.

After the ball is live the batter may not step out of the bb to stop play unless time has been granted by the umpire. 7-3-e A player may ask for time but simply putting an arm up and stepping out of the box is not time. And in most cases we're not going to give it once the pitcher has started their motion.

Then we have 6-10-e No player, manager, or coach shall call time.....or commit any act while the ball is live for the obvious purpose of trying to make the pitcher commit an illegal act.

I am not going to penalize the pitcher for this as the batter caused this problem. I'm going to call time, very sternly have a little "chat" with the batter advising them NOT to do this again and another act like this by any player on the team will result in that players's ejection, I will tell the manager the same.

we have a dead ball, warning to the batter and the team and no pitch.

Now there are some real life exceptions to this, the infield is dry, the wind is blowing and a gust sprays the batter with dust as the pitcher is starting and I can see it obviously hits them in the face and they do this. Dead ball, no pitch, let's try again.

mark

[coachEd]

Boney pitched a terrific game. Even we knew the blue got it wrong, but as we all saw at the game, this particular blue just had no clue or control over the game. Even his partner on the bases was yelling at him to "Just play ball Blue" while he was trying to explain his call to the "parents" in the bleachers behind the backstop. Figure that one out. Loved the way Shark gave him a hard time.

Just to clarify a bit what happened. The batter was given the bunt sign, she stepped in the box, and the coach changed his mind, yelling for the batter to step out. The batter didnt hear the coach until at least the 3rd time, to which she put up her right hand asking for time out. The blue didnt see her hand or hear her asking for timeout. The pitcher started her wind-up, the batter stepped back with her left foot and the pitcher stopped mid-wind-up. It should have been called no pitch, no doubt, but this blue called it a "balk". The guy was just clueless and it was unfortunate that it ended up forcing home the tying run and moving the winning runner to second base.