Unannounced Substitution

[ScottB00]

NFHS Softball.  R1.  1 out. Offensive  coach doesn't notify umpire or other team of batter substitution. 1st pitch is a ball and R1 thrown out attempting to steal 2nd for out #2.  Defensive Coach brings up Substitution issue and batter is called out to end inning. Just wondering if this is the correct call. 

[Velho]

Was is a legal substitution, i.e. the incoming player was legal to enter the game in that slot?

[ScottB00]

Yes it was a legal substitution. Defensive coach and Umpire were just not notified of substitution. 

[Velho]

Then that's a legal (but previously unannounced) substitution (unless softball drastically differs from baseball which I've quoted below - I don't have softball NFHS handy).

SECTION 1 SUBSTITUTING

ART. 1 . . . Should there be no announcement of substitutions, a substitute has entered the game when the ball is live and:

d. a batter takes his place in the batter’s box.

[Senor Azul]

There is no penalty listed for an unreported substitute. As long as the player is eligible to participate then the substitution is legal. The applicable high school softball rule is 3-3-3d  

2020 NFHS Softball rule 3

SECTION 3 SUBSTITUTING

ART. 3 . . . The plate umpire shall record all substitutions on the lineup card and then announce immediately any change(s) to the opposing team’s head coach. Projected substitutions are not permitted. If there is no announcement of substitutions, a substitute has entered the game when:

d. a batter takes her place in the batter's box.

[ScottB00]

Thank you all for the quick replies

[beerguy55]

57 minutes ago, ScottB00 said:

Thank you all for the quick replies

I think even in the strictest softball rulesets this is not an out, only an ejection.

The International Rules shown below (and many sets more closely follow those) considers an unannounced sub as an illegal sub - when discovered on appeal they are declared ineligible and removed from the game.   However, in the OP scenario, would not be called "out"....only if they had hit and reached base.

But don't be surprised if these softball umpires are conflating or mixing different softball rulesets.  Perhaps yet another softball ruleset has this batter out.

 

Sec. 47. ILLEGAL SUBSTITUTE.

An Illegal Substitute is a player who has entered the game without being announced to the umpire.

He may be:

a. A substitute who has not previously been in the game;

b. An Illegal Player;

c. A declared Ineligible Player;

d. An Illegal Re-entry; or

e. An Illegal DP or FLEX PLAYER (FP ONLY) or EP (SP ONLY).

f. A replacement player who remains in the game as an unannounced substitute for a withdrawn player who has not returned to the game within the time permitted under the provisions of the replacement player rule.

 

4. ILLEGAL RE-ENTRY/UNREPORTED SUBSTITUTE

OFFENSE: If the Illegal player/Unreported Substitute is discovered by the defense:

(a) While the illegal player is at bat, the Illegal Player is “Declared Ineligible”, and a replacement shall assume the ball and strike count. Any advance of runners while the Illegal Player is at bat, shall be legal

(b) After the Illegal Player has completed a turn at bat, and before the next legal or illegal pitch, before the defensive team has left the field and before the umpires have left the game, the Illegal Player is called out and “Declared Ineligible.” Any advance of runners as a result of the Illegal Player becoming a batter-runner is nullified. Any additional outs that were recorded on the play will stand.

(c) After the Illegal Player has completed a turn at bat, and after the next legal or illegal pitch, or after the defense has left the field, the Illegal Player is “Declared Ineligible.” If still on base, a legal substitute will take that base. Any advance of runners as a result of the Illegal Player becoming a batter-runner is legal