Softball Scoring: stolen base

[markjacobs3]

Typically, a stolen base is pretty straight forward. And a runner advancing on a wild pitch, equally straight forward. BUT what if the runner doesn't leave the base at the pitcher's release, but leaves when they read the pitch down, but before the pitch has actually reached the plate (we don't know whether it will be a wild pitch or not). In this case, would you rule it as a stolen base if they are safe? Or is it dependent on the result of the pitch? Is it a delayed steal (scored the same) with more info (read the pitch down)? Thoughts? I don't see it spelled out in the NCAA scoring pdf. Thanks for your time.

 

[Sweet Lou]

If she was running before pitch gets to home (or hits the dirt) it's a stolen base, even if the pitch would likely have been a WP or PB if she was not running.

If she breaks after the ball in the dirt or it gets away from catcher wild pitch or passed ball.

IS there something else you were asking? I can't really tell from the original question.

 

[markjacobs3]

If she was running before pitch gets to home (or hits the dirt) it's a stolen base, even if the pitch would likely have been a WP or PB if she was not running.

If she breaks after the ball in the dirt or it gets away from catcher wild pitch or stolen base.

IS there something else you were asking? I can't really tell from the original question.

You answered the question. Thank you.

 

[CoachJD]

If she was running before pitch gets to home (or hits the dirt) it's a stolen base, even if the pitch would likely have been a WP or PB if she was not running.

If she breaks after the ball in the dirt or it gets away from catcher wild pitch or passed ball.

IS there something else you were asking? I can't really tell from the original question.

Nothing else to add here. Just wanted to second (third) that this is the right answer for the OP.

 

[Lemond]

If she was running before pitch gets to home (or hits the dirt) it's a stolen base, even if the pitch would likely have been a WP or PB if she was not running.

If she breaks after the ball in the dirt or it gets away from catcher wild pitch or passed ball.

I would disagree with this. The definition says (paraphrasing) that a SB is a runner advancing without the aid of an error, passed ball or wild pitch (etc).

Ball to the fence most often to me is not a stolen base. It’s likely either a PB or WP.

 

[canyonjoe]

If they are moving on the pitch it's a SB not WP or PB.

 

[Lemond]

NFHS 9-4
A Stolen base (F.P.) shall be credited in the summary to a runner each time the runner advances a base without the aid of a base hit, a putout or a fielding (including battery) error.

NCAA
14�1�30 Stolen Base: An action initiated by the offense when the base runner attempts to advance unaided on a pitch� The base runner is credited with a stolen base when she advances a base unaided by a safe hit, putout, error, force, fielder’s choice, illegal pitch, wild pitch, base on balls, hit batter, passed ball, interference or obstruction�

USA
11-8 (Fast Pitch and Slow Pitch with Stealing) A stolen base is credited to a runner whenever they advance one base unaided by a hit, put out, force out, fielder’s choice, passed ball, wild pitch, an error, illegal pitch or obstruction.


It does not matter if they are moving on the pitch or not. If they are aided by a PB or WP, no SB.

 

[The Man In Blue]

I typically stay out of the scorer's section of the rulebook ...

... but as somebody who reads and interprets the rest of it quasi-religiously ...

"... attempts to advance unaided ..." is not the same as attempts to advance and is aided.

Meaning they started the attempt unaided. Meaning they left the base and broke for the next base before it was known to be a passed ball or wild pitch. If it became a wild pitch or passed ball and then they broke, no stolen base.

Not saying that as any authority (like I said, I stay out of that section), just as somebody who does his best to understand the language of NFHS. Just my opinion.

The USA language seems to say it doesn't matter, that the outcome is the determinant, not the action. Again, just my opinion. It states they ADVANCE not ATTEMPT.

 

[Lemond]

OBR
The Official Scorer shall credit a stolen base to a runner whenever the runner advances one base unaided by a hit, a putout, an error, a force-out, a fielder’s choice, a passed ball, a wild pitch or a balk, subject to the following:

(a) When a runner starts for the next base before the pitcher delivers the ball and the pitch results in what ordinarily is scored a wild pitch or passed ball, the Official Scorer shall credit the runner with a stolen base and shall not charge the misplay, unless, as a result of the misplay, the stealing runner advances an extra base, or another runner also advances, in which case the Official Scorer shall score the wild pitch or passed ball as well as the stolen base.

This agrees with the scenario of going on the pitch.

 

[Lemond]

I typically stay out of the scorer's section of the rulebook ...

... but as somebody who reads and interprets the rest of it quasi-religiously ...

"... attempts to advance unaided ..." is not the same as attempts to advance and is aided.

Meaning they started the attempt unaided. Meaning they left the base and broke for the next base before it was known to be a passed ball or wild pitch. If it became a wild pitch or passed ball and then they broke, no stolen base.

Not saying that as any authority (like I said, I stay out of that section), just as somebody who does his best to understand the language of NFHS. Just my opinion.

The USA language seems to say it doesn't matter, that the outcome is the determinant, not the action. Again, just my opinion. It states they ADVANCE not ATTEMPT.

NFHS has that same wording, and the next sentence in NCAA has it, too: “…The base runner is credited with a stolen base when she advances a base unaided by…”