Hello Staff,

Wondering if you can answer a question for me. This past weekend in Indianapolis, we were told before each game that when you hit a homerun no need to to touch first you can just sit. Unfortunately for my team one of my players hit a homerun and then wandered down to first base and touch the base with his bat in his hand. The umpire saw it and called him out. I know the rule when you need to touch first base you can't touch with your bat in your hand but when you play hit and sit, isn't the play dead as soon as the ball leaves the park so this rule wouldn't apply? Just want to know for future and if it is in the rule book.

Thanks,
BH

Incorrect call by umpire once ball has cleared fence player can run around bases with bat if he wants too.

Wrong call on two counts • [1] "Hit and Sit" does NOT require touching 1st base (or any base for those on-base at the time of the HR) and [2] NO penalty in SSUSA Rules for carrying your bat with you ...

Staff,

Batter touch first with bat in hand on his own which is why even thought it was hit & sit - umpire said he was out. Is there a rule in rule book that say you hit a single and run to first and touch first with the bat in your hand you are out?

Thanks,
BH

BH44...there is no rule in Baseball or Softball that prohibits a batter to have the bat in his hand upon touching 1st base...urban legend.

There is a penalty in some softball organizations for carrying a bat and touching first while in possession of it, but not in SSUSA.

Many umpires work multiple softball organizations and thus are prone to rule errors. That is why SSUSA does not charge for protests.

Mule whipper in USSSA, batter is out if he has possession of bat when touching first bat if ball is live. So it is not an urban legend.

Absolute total fact, when we were in Vegas a few years ago our guy hit a HR and brought his bat down to 1st and was called out. The rules may be stated but clearly the umps said otherwise. SSUSA should send a reminder to umps

raiderman66 ... Bad ump call ... But if it happens again, please ask for a Director (and respectfully decline to continue to play while you wait) to come to the field ... That's a three second over-rule and it will go the way of the offense 100% of the time ...

If it's a rule in any organization, it's a special rule put in for whatever silly reason.
It is not a standard baseball/softball rule.

MLB has tried for years to speed up the game. Now that the pitchers can tell the HP ump they want to walk the batter, even after throwing some pitches, maybe they'll cut out the jogging after homeruns.

Mulewhipper - From Section 4 of the 2017 USSSA rulebook:

Sec. 4.A BATTER-BASE RUNNER IS OUT under the following circumstances.

G.When, after hitting a fair ball, and while the ball is still live, the batter-runner carries the bat and touches first base or runs beyond first base while carrying the bat. Note: If this action results in the third out of an inning, no runs shall score.

Note that it does say "while the ball is still live" In a hit and sit situation, the ball is not live.

It is ridiculous to carry the bat to first base or down the line in any situation. It is unsafe to do so. On a side note it seems only the guys who don't hustle carry the bat down the line with them. Just Sayin.

Bond...like I said, it's an additional rule added for some organizations (like USSSA), probably for safety concerns.

Not a baseball rule and not a SSUSA rule.

Thanks for clearing that up BH44 . My friend on Pope Transport 65 was watching our game wile in between innings of his game. He was trying to stick up for us . I have known him for 30 years.I was not AWARE of that rule ever. Shows what I know.. But he was telling or yelling at me to contest the call. Is the only reason I actually said or spoke loud show me in the SSUSA rule book. I know our player was down on himself . Heck could happen to anyone . But will never again.. Bet ya know who this is . Ha ha. See you in Milwaukee.

If you noticed, the umps were wearing green ISA shirts. In ISA, if you carry the bat to first base and touch first base, you are out. Even though this was a USSSA sponsored tourney.

tscs000 ... A couple of quick items for the sake of accuracy ...

• The Brickyard Invitational is an SSUSA sanctioned/administered event, NOT U-Trip (USSSA) ...
• The SSUSA and ISA use the same umpire uniform shirts AND Rulebook, which is what it says on the front cover of the Rulebook ...
• The batter-runner should NOT have been called out for carrying the bat to 1B, or destinations beyond, under SSUSA/ISA rules ...

Here's a twist on this one. In Tulsa this past weekend. I hit a ball that hit the outfielder's glove and went over the fence for a 4 base error. While I was in between 1st and 2nd, I asked the umpire if I had to touch all bases. I assumed yes because it was a tipped over the fence. The umpire said to sit and people from both teams were yelling both to touch them all and sit so there was a lot of confusion. I decided just to touch all bases since I believed that's what I had to do. I have two questions which are, 1) did the umpire make the correct call to "hit and sit" and 2) once the umpire tells me to "hit and sit" and I follow that call, can it be appealed and I'm called out if the rule is actually that I need to touch all bases?

Bad call ... As to your 1st question:
From Rulebook page 47 ...

§8.4(7) • FOUR-BASE AWARD
Any fair ball touched by a player on either side of the fence that clears or has cleared the fence in fair territory before touching the ground will be a "four-base award," and will not be included in the total over-the-fence home run count. NOTE: The batter may return directly to the dugout and all other runners may return directly to the dugout. EFFECT: The concept known as “hit and sit” is permitted.

As to your 2nd question: Moot point if the umpire and/or the Tournament Director eventually get the rule right!