NCAA Approves Video Review for Softball Beginning in 2022

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel for softball announced Friday that it has approved video review for softball to begin in the 2022 regular season. The Southeastern Conference had used it on an experimental bases during the 2019 and 2021 conference tournaments, but schools can now use video review in regular-season play.
 
The new rule is optional for all schools to participate in based off of local capabilities on-site for replay.
 
Under the new rule, each head coach will have two challenges to initiate a review for the entirety of the game. A coach must verbally or visually indicate a challenge request before the next pitch, before the pitcher and all infielders have clearly vacated their normal fielding position and left fair territory, or before the umpires have left the field of play.
 
The umpire crew chief also has the discretion to initiate a review of designated plays beginning with the sixth inning of a game.
 
The following plays can be subject to review via initiation by the crew chief or via a head coach’s challenge:

• Regarding batted balls (any ball higher than the top of the foul pole when it leaves the field cannot have that aspect reviewed):
  • Deciding whether a batted ball called fair is fair or foul.
  • Deciding whether a batted ball called foul should be a ground rule double, home run or hit-by-pitch.
  • Deciding whether a batted ball called fair and ruled not to have left the field of play did leave the field. 
• Regarding pitched balls at the plate:
  • Deciding whether a pitch ruled a dropped third strike was caught before the ball touched the ground. 
  • Deciding whether a live or dead ball should be changed to a foul ball.
  • Deciding whether a foul ball should be changed to a foul tip only with no base runners, or if it would result in a third out.
  • Deciding whether a batter is hit by a pitch.
• Spectator interference. 
• Obstruction and interference (including collisions). 
• Deciding if malicious/flagrant contact occurred. Umpires may initiate this review without requiring a coach’s challenge at any point in the game to ensure student-athlete safety.
• Timing plays (deciding whether the base runner scored ahead of a third out). 
• Force/tag play calls: Plays involving all runners acquiring the base before the defensive player’s attempt to put the runner out at any base. 
• Blocked or dead ball/placement of runners: Deciding whether a ball not ruled blocked should be ruled blocked, and the proper placement of runners after any blocked or dead ball call. 
• With no base runners, a no catch can be changed to a catch at any time. With runners on base, a no catch can be changed to a catch only if it results in a third out.

 
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