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Discussion: 3rd baseline

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May 25
yerwombat
Men's 60
78 posts
3rd baseline
Recently at the ACC Championships a rule was instituted, if a runner crossed inside the line from 3rd base to the scoring stripe they were called out. Is this a new SSUSA rule to be used in all tournaments.
May 25
DaveDowell
Men's 70
4443 posts
3rd baseline
I haven't heard of that one Tim, especially since we only make rule amendments once a year, in November at the annual Rules Committee sessions ... My initial reaction is that someone made one up on the fly ... I can see it maybe being invoked for a batter-runner running inside the 1st base foul line with a play coming to the 1B, or a runner trying to "screen" the catcher on a play at the plate ... Unless either of those fact patterns are in play, I'm skeptical on it! ... Regardless, nothing recently "new" like that comes to mind ...

May 25
yerwombat
Men's 60
78 posts
3rd baseline
Interesting Thanks Dave
May 25
DaveDowell
Men's 70
4443 posts
3rd baseline
Not a "value judgment" here, but the umpires for the ACC in Raleigh were locals from our regional U.I.C. there ... Not sure of their affiliation, but they weren't our guys ... Without a few more facts, I'm not making a criticism, I simply don't know! ... My experience with them in past times I've been there has been very favorable ...
May 26
Scott Harder
Men's 60
67 posts
3rd baseline
Not the most direct route to the outside plate/line, what would cause a player to run diagonally and not directly toward home?
May 26
TimMcElroy

989 posts
3rd baseline
Interesting. As the TD, I was unaware 9f this until just now. Did you ask the umpire to get help or a Director's input?
May 26
titanhd
Men's 60
650 posts
3rd baseline
If you touch any portion of the the batters box you are out. Might that be what happened?
May 26
mck71
Men's 60
353 posts
3rd baseline
Dave, we USUSALLY don't have these lines that are diagonal from 3B to the Scoring line. I don't remember being told in any of our games that if we ran between the diagonal line and the actual 3B line we would be called out. Honestly I can understand WHY, same reason as you stated about running inside the 1B line but then technically if you were hit, you would be out. If that logic were applied here, then I would ASSUME (there's that word) as long as you were on the foul side of the #B line, it SHOULD not matter if you were inside of the diagonal line?

Question Tim, did your umpires tell your team at the mtg before the game that they would make that call?
May 26
TimMcElroy

989 posts
3rd baseline
Hi Mike,

As a general rule, umpires will intruct managers to have their runners "run to the outside" of home plate but I doubt they say "you'll be called out for invading the airspace of the battery's box."
May 26
DaveDowell
Men's 70
4443 posts
3rd baseline
Some umpires/UIC's and (drat!) Directors ask the field crew NOT to connect the scoring line to the corner of the batter's box, but to leave a gap in order to influence them into staying wide ... That's certainly OK, but it should NOT be the basis for another no-fly zone ... We already have one of those above the batter's box ... I cringe when I see a guy called out for running in that "DMZ", because I know as the Director I'm looking at overturning the "Out" call ...
May 26
TimMcElroy

989 posts
3rd baseline
Mike... I didn't fully read your last message and will agree that there was a good deal of chalk laid between 3rd base and home plate (including the diagonal / directional line).
May 26
Guppy7325

15 posts
3rd baseline
I can verify what Tim was saying. I umpired ACC and that was the first I heard of that line.. I ignored the “flight path” line or erased it if I had the chance. I had no issues with those lines and if questioned I gave the basic answer to stay wide. Being one of our SSUSA regulars, I tried to keep things as normal as possible. We had the best TD for ACC and I didn’t see any problems other than the weather..
May 27
yerwombat
Men's 60
78 posts
3rd baseline
Yes we were told that before the game different days, after the rain the line had been washed out and i asked the umpire if it was still in effect and he said he would not be enforcing it.It was not an issue in any of our games but i was curious if this was something new.
May 28
DieselDan
Men's 75
613 posts
3rd baseline
If the scoring line touches the batters box, most plate umps are OK with covering up a foot or so of the scoring line.
May 28
Turning2
Men's 75
206 posts
3rd baseline
SSUSA SENIOR SOFTBALL DIAMOND
Infield Layout, Base Dimensions, Pitching Distance,
Running Lines, Commitment Line, Coaches Boxes PAGE 83

SENIOR SOFTBALL DIAMOND
Batter’s Boxes, Catcher’s Box, Scoring Line/Plate PAGE 84

both the commit line and the scoring lines are to be marked(chalked) with 6' total length, the scoring line is positioned with the line 9'5" from the front left corner of home plate.

the scoring line cannot possibly intersect with any portion of the right hand batters box

there are also no provisions for a "base line or base path" to be drawn from 3rd base to the scoring line - see required and optional chalk lines page 83

simplification without any added lines should assist the umpires and players alike

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