THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS --------------------- SOFTBALL

Between Inning Positions THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS Between Inning Positions P DMA DMA

CLEANING PITCHER’S PLATE THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS CLEANING PITCHER’S PLATE 3B Umpire cleans after 3rd out… Unless… 1B Umpire is “off the line” with the 3rd out P DMA DMA

At The Start of The Game… Plate Umpire checks with Base Umpires Note: Base Umpires will always square to HP… wherever positioned on the field

NO RUNNERS ON BASE UMPIRES ARE “ON THE LINE” FOUL BALL COVERAGE U3 U1 P

Three-Person Umpire Mechanics Responsibility and Priority for Making Calls Down The Line: First priority is Fair or Foul Second priority is Catch or No Catch Plate Umpire has fair/foul calls between Home Plate and 1st base or Home Plate and 3rd base; if a Base Umpire is “off the line,” Plate Umpire has the responsibility for the open fair/foul line. Base Umpire(s) who are “on the line” will make a fair/foul call beyond 1st or 3rd base Base Umpire who is “off the line” will NEVER have a fair/foul call

FOUL BALL COVERAGE: 3B UMPIRE is “Off The Line” with Runner on 1B Only

FOUL BALL COVERAGE: When 1B UMPIRE is “Off The Line”, he/she is Counter-Rotated… i.e., there is no rotation. U3 P

P Split The Pie / Split The Field U1 U3 FLY BALL COVERAGE: No Runners on Base Base Umpires are “On The Line” 1B Umpire U1 3B Umpire U3 Plate Umpire P

Base Umpires are “On The Line” FLY BALL COVERAGE: No Runners on Base Base Umpires are “On The Line” When 3B Umpire “goes out” on fly ball, revert to Two- Person Umpire System 1B Umpire may button hook in … Inside/Outside Theory… or “Work The Rim” 1B Umpire U1 3B Umpire U3 Plate Umpire P

P U1 U3 FLY BALL COVERAGE: No Runners on Base Base Umpires are “On The Line” When a Base Umpire “goes out” on fly ball, revert to Two-Person Umpire System 1B Umpire U1 3B Umpire U3 Plate Umpire P

Three-Person Umpire Mechanics FLY BALL COVERAGE: 3B Umpire is only “Off The Line” with Runner at 1B; Rotation is Clockwise, & for Infield Hits U3 P U1 DMA R1 DMA

Three-Person Umpire Mechanics FLY BALL COVERAGE: 1B UMPIRE is “Off The Line” with Runners on 2B only, 1B & 2B, *1B & 3B, 2B & 3B and Bases Loaded; when 1B UMPIRE is “Off The Line” there is NO ROTATION on Infield Hits When “Off The Line, 1B Umpire is giant step to side of F4 U1 U3 P R1 * F4

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS No Runners On Base Umpires: 18 Feet Beyond Base Walk The Line DMA DMA 3B Umpire: L foot next to chalk line 1B Umpire R foot next to chalk line

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS INFIELD HITS 90-Degree Angle Basic Four “Set” =“semi-set” position Timing- see play complete DMA U3 U1 F5 F3 DMA P

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS INFIELD HITS 90-Degree Angle Basic Four “Set” Timing-see play complete U3 F4 DMA U1 F3 DMA P

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS CHECKSWINGS L-handed… go to 3B Umpire R-handed… go to 1B Umpire …even if Umpire is “off the line” DMA DMA

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS No Runners On Base Umpires: 18 Feet Beyond Base Walk The Line DMA DMA Umpires were not making deep enough button hooks to infield (if started at 21 ft.)

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS PICK-0FF PLAY: 15 feet from 1B In fair territory RUNNER ON 1B DMA R1 U1 DMA

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS ALL BASE UMPIRES: Go “set” with start of pitch, once there is one or more runners on base! RUNNER ON 1B DMA R1 U1 DMA

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS RUNNER ON 2B ONLY R1 F4 DMA DMA

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS RUNNER ON 2B ONLY, or 1B & 2B R1 DMA F4 R2 DMA

3B Umpire is 2-3 feet “off the line”/ 10-12 ft. beyond the base THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS RUNNER ON 3B ONLY 3B Umpire is 2-3 feet “off the line”/ 10-12 ft. beyond the base DMA R1 DMA

RUNNER ON 2B ONLY or 3B ONLY THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS RUNNER ON 2B ONLY or 3B ONLY ATTEMPTED STEAL OF 3B: 3B UMPIRE IN FAIR TERRITORY PICK-0FF PLAY: 3B UMPIRE IN FOUL TERRITORY RUNDOWN BETWEEN HP & 3B: 3B UMPIRE IN FAIR TERRITORY R2 F4 DMA R1 DMA

(Shade To Lead Runner Theory)… THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS RUNNERS ON 1B & 3B 1B Ump is between F4 and 1B (Shade To Lead Runner Theory)… F4 DMA R1 R2 DMA

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS RUNNER ON 2B & 3B, and BASES LOADED 3B Umpire is 2-3 feet “off the line”/ 10-12 ft. beyond the base R2 F4 DMA R1 R3 DMA

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS PLAY #1: Batted ball hit to F5 R1 at 1B goes to 2B F5 overthrows F3 at 1B RUNNER ON 1B R1 F9 DMA F5 U1 R1 DMA F3 B R

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS RUNNER ON 1B Overthrow at 1B, B-R is safe R1 goes to 2B Base Umpires button hook in PLAY #1 R1 F9 U3 DMA F5 R2 U1 DMA HZ U1

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS RUNNER ON 1B Overthrow at 1B, B-R is safe R1 goes to 2B, may go 3B Base Umpires button hook in If Plate goes to 3B, U1 goes to HP PLAY #1 U3 F9 R1 DMA F5 R2 U1 DMA HZ U1

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS R1 attempts to reach 3B Plate Umpire has 3B 1B Ump hold/comes to 3B side of HP 3B Ump has 1B & 2B RUNNER ON 1B F9 3 DMA F5 1 R1 DMA P B R 1

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS PLATE UMPIRE: Trails Batter-Runner halfway to 1B with no Runners in scoring position Assists (if asked) on… a) pulled foot, b) swipe tag or c) bobbled ball DMA DMA

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS PLATE UMPIRE: Uses “Holding Zone” with Runner in scoring position Runner is in scoring position when she reaches 2B or 3B DMA DMA HZ

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS RUNDOWNS Between 1B & 2B DMA R DMA

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS RUNDOWNS Between 2B & 3B R DMA DMA

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS RUNDOWN DMA DMA R

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS PICK-OFFS DMA R1 DMA

THREE-PERSON UMPIRE MECHANICS DMA DMA

Split The Pie / Split The Field 1B Umpire U1 3B Umpire U3 P Plate Umpire