Section 7: Violations/Penalties
Pitching Violations
- Balk: An illegal pitching motion or deception with runners on base; the penalty is one base awarded to each runner.
- Illegal pitch / quick pitch: An illegal pitch with no runners on is a ball to the batter; a quick pitch (delivering before the batter is reasonably set) is penalized.
- Pitch-timer violation: A ball is awarded to the batter.
Equipment Violations
- Illegal or altered bat: Use of a bat that is not BBCOR-certified (where required), is altered, or fails bat testing results in penalties that can include calling the batter out, ejection, and removal of the bat.
- Failure to wear required protective equipment is corrected by the umpire and can carry penalties for repeated or willful violations.
Batting and Base-Running Violations
- Batting out of order: An appealable violation; the penalty (an out and adjustment of the batting order) depends on when the appeal is made.
- Batter-timer violation: A strike is awarded to the batter.
- Interference: A runner, batter, or coach who illegally hinders a fielder making a play is declared out (and, on a force-play-slide violation, the batter-runner may also be declared out).
- Obstruction: A fielder without the ball who illegally impedes a runner; the umpire awards the runner the base(s) that would have been reached absent the obstruction.
- Malicious contact: A runner who initiates flagrant or malicious contact is declared out and is ejected.
Conduct and Ejections
- Unsportsmanlike conduct — abusive language, throwing equipment, contact with an official, fighting — results in warnings, ejection, and, where applicable, further disciplinary action by the conference or the NCAA.
- An ejected individual must leave the playing area; the head coach is responsible for compliance.