Instant replay is all the rage during the SEC tournament, and LSU head coach Beth Torina made the first successful coach’s challenge on Wednesday afternoon. There are fourteen scenarios that can be challenged to utilize replay; here’s a breakdown of exactly what those situations are.
Under the experimental rule, head coaches have two challenges each at their disposal. Challenges are “use it and lose it.” From the sixth inning onward, a replay can be initiated at an umpire’s discretion.
Torina’s successful challenge on Wednesday fell under item #9 on the list of reviewable plays, obstruction or interference at any base. Torina challenged an uncalled obstruction of a baserunner at second base after the same runner was thrown out at the plate; the call was overturned on replay and the runner was called safe at home.
The following situations are subject to replay review:
- Deciding if a batted ball called fair is fair or foul.
- Deciding if a batted ball called a ground rule double or home run is fair or foul.
- Deciding if a batted ball called foul that could result in a ground rule double or home run is fair or foul.
- Deciding if the ball actually left the field on a home run. Any ball higher than the top of the foul pole when it leaves the field would specially not be reviewable.
- Deciding on a foul tip/foul ball at the plate, including a dropped strike.
- Spectator interference.
- Deciding scoring plays at home plate inclusive of collisions (illegal and/or malicious slides), obstruction by a defensive player or timing plays.
- All aspects of a scoring/timing play are reviewable to ensure a run rightfully earned is scored and to prevent a run from scoring which a team did not rightfully earn.
- Obstruction and interference are reviewable at any base only if the play in question results or would result in the third out of an inning AND relates to a timing/scoring play.
- Deciding if malicious/flagrant contact occurred. Umpires are allowed to initiate this review without requiring a coach’s challenge at any point in the game to ensure student-athlete safety.
- 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.
- Hit-by-Pitch Calls: Those plays for which there is a possibility that a pitched ball touches a batter or her clothing, which shall incorporate a review of the ball in relation to the batter’s box, if it is determined upon review that the ball hit the batter or her clothing.
- Placement of Runners: An umpire’s placement of all runners (per the rules/case book) after any blocked ball call.
- With runners on base, a no catch can be changed to a catch only if it results in a third out. With no runners on base, a no catch can be changed to a catch at any time.
