Other Scoring line rule question

[Sailorjoe6308]

In a previous post I noted that locally we play WSL. We play with a commit line and a scoring line to avoid collisions at home.. We had a ruling last night in reference to the scoring line that did not make sense to me. It also didn't lineup with any other sanctions I've played under. During the play I fielded the ball whilst off the plate and runner from 3rd advancing. I stepped on the plate in possession of the ball before the runner safely crossed the line. It was close but the runner even admitted her foot was not down. My understanding of the rule for this line is that to be considered safe the runner must have a foot down on the ground across the line. The call on the field was that she was safe because she had crossed the line and that whether her foot was down or not was irrelevant. When I questioned the call the ump/LD, because we are short on umpires, stated that under USA, which apparently is over all sanctions, the rule is that they just have to break the plane. Can someone clarify this for me?

 

[hitless45]

Umps determination was that she's safe. That's pretty cut n dry imo

 

[Sailorjoe6308]

I understand his call but what I don't understand is his reasoning behind saying she just has to break the plane and not put her foot down safely. That's what I'm trying to understand.

 

[hitless45]

Gotcha. What I'm saying tho is that unfortunately it is ultimately what/how that particular ump reads the rule. In our seniors league here most umps say the foot must touch ground beyond the line for a safe call.

 

[Sailorjoe6308]

Gotcha. What I'm saying tho is that unfortunately it is ultimately what/how that particular ump reads the rule. In our seniors league here most umps say the foot must touch ground beyond the line for a safe call.

That is my general understanding of the rule as well. I couldn't find a rule concerning the commit and scoring lines. So I figured best place to ask would be here.

 

[eddieq]

There is no "break the plane". The umpire at your game referenced USA rules. USA uses a "second home plate" and "commitment line" in Senior Slow Pitch only, but assuming this is treated similarly - USA Rule 8.9.B.2.B explicitly says "touch"

Runners must touch the second home plate located adjacent to the righthanded batter’s box in order to be safe at home.

I haven't called senior slow pitch, but we use the same layout in the Special Olympics tournaments. The runner must touch the second home plate (scoring plate) before the catcher (or other defensive player) in possession of the ball touches the original home plate. Perhaps this umpire is thinking about the whole, "assumed to have touched once the base is passed" but that is based on an appeal of a missed base, not a bang-bang play at a base/home.

 

[EAJuggalo]

You are going to have to go through exactly what your local rules say about the scoring line. WSL does not have a scoring line anywhere in their rules. USA, which is not above any other association, only has a second plate in it's rules. USSSA does have a scoring line in it's senior rulebook and it specifically says down on or across the line to be safe.