INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NCAA Softball Rules Committee has recommended a proposal banning defenders from blocking the plate or base before they have possession of the ball, effective for the 2018 season.

The committee, which met last week in Indianapolis, believes this possible rule change would be equitable for the base runner and the defensive team. If approved, the base runner will have a clear path to the base. Also, if the defender has possession of the ball and is in front of the plate or base, the runner can slide and have contact with the defensive player if the runner is making a legitimate attempt to touch the plate or base.

If a defender blocks the plate or base before gaining possession, the runner would be called safe. If the runner contacts the defensive player without making a legitimate attempt to slide, the runner will be called out.

All rules recommendations must be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which is scheduled to discuss softball proposals Aug. 16.

Currently, the defender could block the plate or base in the act of catching the ball. The committee felt the language was too ambiguous.

The proposal seeks to clarify the rule and remove any gray area on those types of plays.

“As a committee, we are always looking at ways to improve the quality of the game,” said Rich Calvert, committee chair and coach at Drake. “One of the bigger proposed rules changes is obstruction. While this is always going to be a judgment call, we felt that by making the defender have possession of the ball before blocking the base, plate — or in the base path — it makes it a little clearer whether the defender is obstructing the runner.”

Runner’s lane

The committee recommended that the runner’s lane be drawn on the field down the first base line, reverting to the rule in the 2014-15 rules book.

The lane would be three feet wide and 30 feet long. If a runner is outside the lane and is hit by the ball, and in the judgment of the umpire interferes with the defensive player receiving the ball at first base, the runner will be declared out.

During the 2015 annual meeting, the committee voted to eliminate the runner’s lane as a required line on the field. However, this change inadvertently and fundamentally changed the concept of the runner’s lane.

The committee felt there is a need for the line to help umpires determine whether a runner interfered with a throw to first base and to give the runner a clear area where she can run without penalty.

Media format

Committee members recommended a two-minute time limit to resume play between each half-inning in televised games.

When using the media format, teams will be allowed only seven charged conferences per seven-inning game. Each team is allowed one charged conference per half-inning for each extra inning. If a team doesn’t use all of its seven conferences in regulation, they do not carry over into extra innings.

Several Division I conferences experimented with a time limit between innings and restricted number of conferences during the 2017 season.

Stay in the box

The committee proposed requiring hitters to have any part of both feet touching the ground inside the lines of the batter’s box when bat-ball contact is made.

A hitter who makes contact with a pitch with any part of her foot touching the ground outside the lines of the batter’s box will be declared out.

Committee members have seen a trend of many hitters being outside the box when contact is made with pitches.

Pace and flow

To increase the pace and flow of the game, the committee recommended allowing coaches to make defensive substitutions that involve only position changes and do not affect the batting lineup without reporting this change to the umpire.

Additionally, the committee recommended that coaches be allowed to make projected substitutions by notifying the plate umpire any time the ball is dead. Substitutes will not be required to enter the game at the time the substitution is reported. This will allow coaches to report more than one change at the beginning of the inning or to re-enter the designated player before her next at bat.

The committee also recommended prohibiting the defense from huddling after throwing the ball around the infield after an out. Several Division I conferences also experimented with this rule during the 2017 season.

Technology

The committee recommended allowing bats with data tracking sensors embedded into the knob to be used during the game. However, the data cannot be transmitted or accessed during the game.

— Courtesy of NCAA.com

OTTAWA — Rebuilding Canada’s relationship with Indigenous people is part of the legacy Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants to leave, he told chiefs gathered at a major Assembly of First Nations meeting in Ottawa Tuesday afternoon.

“We have to help demonstrate with you that everything we do starts from recognizing the rights you already have that you shouldn’t have to take us to court to prove that you have,” said Trudeau, answering a question from Chief Wayne Christian of Splatsin First Nation in the B.C. Interior.

Trudeau said if his government is able to accomplish that, all future Canadian governments will have to follow suit.

“We will start from a place of partnership — the place we started all those centuries ago and unfortunately lost our way from. That is the legacy that I look forward to building with all of you in the coming years,” he said.

Christian had told Trudeau, in a question-and-answer session, that he had confronted Trudeau’s father Pierre in 1980 and accused him of lying to the world about what was happening in Canada to Indigenous people. The younger Trudeau’s account of Indigenous people’s experience of “humiliation, neglect and abuse” in a United Nations speech in 2017 was welcome, he said.

“I’m grateful that you actually corrected that when you went to the UN and made your statements,” Christian told him. “You let the world know the issues going on in Canada. So we really need to think about this and where are we going to go from here.”

The chiefs received Trudeau warmly, presenting him with a buckskin vest, and National Chief Perry Bellegarde shook his hand after he spoke.

Trudeau followed his own minister of Crown-Indigenous relations, Carolyn Bennett, who’d spoken earlier in the day and compared Canada’s formal way of relating to Indigenous people to “a big, leaky old colonial boat.”

“For years we’ve tried to patch this old wreck and we’ve been bailing it with a thimble. We all know that this isn’t going to work,” Bennett said.

Bennett said Canada needs to keep up with Indigenous people, their aspirations and their goals.

“I believe Canada needs to get out of that colonialist boat, run it ashore, leave it to rot or at least put it up, drydock and rebuild it. We need a vessel that can navigate the changing waters, one that can keep pace with your vision and aspiration. One that is no longer holding back the promise for your children and grandchildren and their grandchildren,” Bennett said.

Moving away from the 1876 Indian Act that largely defines relations between Canada and Indigenous Peoples is a mutual goal and repeated that the federal government will introduce legislation on Indigenous child-and-family services in the new year, written in co-operation with Indigenous groups.

“We want to work on this new ship and we want to get it in the water because we know the current is with us.”

Bellegarde told the chiefs that he wants to see a few key pieces of legislation passed before the House of Commons rises in June and an election campaign takes over federal politics, including the child-welfare legislation, the long-awaited Indigenous Languages Act, and NDP MP Romeo Saganash’s private member’s bill, which seeks to ensure Canada’s laws line up with the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Bellegarde also spoke about climate change and asked the chiefs and delegates to support a carbon tax as one way to head it off.

He talked about putting his organization’s “Closing the Gap” document in front of each party during the last federal election. It outlined priorities on everything from the environment to Indigenous languages.

Bellegarde said First Nations voters were responsible for flipping 22 ridings in the 2015 federal election.

“You people running in federal elections, you better listen to First Nations issues now if you want to get elected,” he said.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh and Green Leader Elizabeth May are all on the program for the third day of the chiefs’ assembly, on Thursday.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. –  Columbus State’s Keeli Waugh and Claflin’s Tiaria Norman garnered Louisville/Slugger NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the week recognition for contests played April 16-22.

Waugh, a senior from Dacula, Ga., powered her way to the award and helped the Cougars go 4-0 in Peach Belt Conference play last week. She hit .667 (10-for-15), launched five home runs, doubled, knocked in 15 runs, slugged 1.733 and scored eight times. Waugh clubbed two grand slams in a game one win over UNC Pembroke and hit two more with four total hits, five RBI and four runs scored in the nightcap. The PBC Player of the Week homered again against Francis Marion, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Norman went 4-0 with a 0.31 ERA last week, tossing a no-hitter at Converse, striking out 37 in 22.2 innings of work. She limited her opposition to just one run on three hits and a .043 batting average. Norman also chipped in at the plate, hitting .333 with two doubles, five RBI and five runs.

The senior hurler fanned 10 in her first start of the week, no-hitting Converse in a five-inning victory. Three day later against Benedict, Norman struck out a season-high 15, surrendering a run in a one-hit complete-game victory. A native of Greenwood, S.C., Norman recorded a one-hit shutout in game two against the Tigers. She closed out the three-game Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference sweep with five innings of one-hit shutout relief, fanning eight in the comeback win.

Top Performances

Skania Lemus, Mercy– .644, 19 H, 3 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 10 R, 8 multi-hit games; Rosa’Lynn Burton, Wilmington– .750, 15 H, 3 2B, 2 3B, 9 R, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 4 SB, .800 OBP, 1.100 SLG; Andrea Morales, Rogers State– 2-0, 2 SV, SHO, 0.00 ERA 12 K, 4 BB, .177 opp BA; Marisa Monasseri, Caldwell– .423, 11 H, 2B, HR, 8 RBI, 6 R; Robyn Wampler, UC San Diego– 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 SHO, 17 K, 8 H, .111 opp BA; Kate Kopeck, St. Cloud State– 2-0, SV, 0.00 ERA, 0 R, 11 K, 15 IP; Haley Gilham, Chico State– 2-0, 2 SV, 0.49 ERA, 1 R, 9 K, .173 opp BA; Jordyn Kleman, Winona State– 2-0, 2 SHO, 15 K, 2 BB, .136 opp BA; Casey Carpenter, Lock Haven– .444, 12 H, 3 HR, 12 RBI; Rebecca Kelley, Clarion– .450, 9 H, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 6 R; Terri Van Dagens, Biola– 2-1, 0.82 ERA, SHO, 11 K, 3 BB, 7 H, .121 opp BA; Kailey Myers, Slippery Rock– .429, 9 H, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R; Madi Beining, Gannon– 2-0, 1.00 ERA, SHO, 9 K, 0 BB, 9 H, 14 IP; Brandy Marlett, Angelo State– 2-0, SV, SHO, 20 K, 12.2 IP; Callie Nunes, Concordia Irvine– 3-0, SV, 0.86 ERA, 27 K, 2 BB, 16.1 IP; Holly Pagan, Purdue Northwest– .438, 2 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R, 1.125 SLG; Mallory Teunissen, Davenport– 3-0, 1.46 ERA, 2 SHO, 18 K, 24 IP; Makaleigh Dooley, Tampa– 2-1, 0.67 ERA, 2 SHO, 13 K, 0 BB, 21 IP.

REGINA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced blunt questions from people at a town hall meeting in Regina including one from a man who fears Canada’s immigration policies are putting lives at risk.

The man told Trudeau that Canada’s policy threatens freedom, that Islam and Christianity don’t mix and that immigrants want to kill Canadians.

Trudeau answered by saying that Canadians can have confidence in the system and that immigrants help bolster the economy and make communities more resilient.

The prime minister was also challenged to explain why Canada is honouring a contract to sell light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia.

Trudeau says the federal government is grappling with the details of a complex contract signed by a previous government and will continue to speak up for human rights.

Outside the meeting at the University of Regina some protesters held signs with slogans such as “Canada Needs Pipeline Jobs.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Westminster College’s Jazmyn Rohrer and Centenary College’s Anna Dunn captured this week’s Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Pitcher and Player of the Week honors, respectively.

Senior right-hander Rohrer went 5-0 in six appearances and four starts in the circle, striking out 64 over 33.1 innings. The Purcellville, Va., native fanned a career-best 17 and allowed just two hits in a 3-2 win over Geneva, then struck out 12 and yielded four hits in a 2-1 victory at Thiel.

In her other two starts, Rohrer fanned 15 in a three-hit shutout of Grove City, and struck out 11 in a two-hit shutout of Washington & Jefferson. For the week, she allowed just four walks, including none over her last 19.1 innings. In the latest NCAA rankings (through Monday’s games), she ranks fifth in Division III in hits allowed per seven innings (3.5), seventh in strikeouts per seven innings (10.5) and 10th in both earned-run average and strikeouts.

Dunn, meanwhile, batted .615 with 11 runs, three doubles, five homers, four steals and 20 runs batted in. The Shreveport, La., native took over the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference lead this past week in RBI, average and home runs.

Her seven RBI in a wild 19-18 eight-inning loss to LeTourneau tied a conference record and set the school mark for RBI in a single game. She also recorded her first multi-homer game when she hit two in a 9-4 triumph over the University of Dallas.

Other Top Performances

Farmingdale State junior pitcher Jaxie Collard was 3-0 and didn’t allow an earned run in a pair of complete games and a relief appearance. …  St. Catherine senior pitcher Krista Flugstad allowed just three earned runs over 16 innings, including two in a 4-2, 11-inning victory over Bethel, and none after the sixth. … Manhattanville junior pitcher/utility player Aarin Hartenstein went 6-for-11 (.545) with five runs, two doubles, two homers and six RBI at the plate, while also going 3-0 with 15 strikeouts in the circle. … Coast Guard senior center fielder Emma Hvozdovich hit .435 (10-for-23) with a double, four homers and 12 RBI. … Farmingdale State sophomore left fielder Jessica Lombardo paced a 6-0 week for the Rams with eight hits, four doubles, seven RBI and 14 total bases, while collecting 20 putouts and two assists over an unusually-busy week in the outfield. … Texas-Tyler junior utility player Lynsey Mitchell hit .889 (8-for-9) with three homers and 14 RBI in the Patriots’ three-game sweep of Texas-Dallas. … Farmingdale State freshman left fielder Amaris Negron had a hit in all four games she played, hitting .667 with eight hits, including a triple, homer and 14 total bases. … Westminster (Mo.) sophomore pitcher Katie Price pitched a no-hitter and a five-inning perfect game in a three-win week, and helped herself at the plate, going 6-for-12 with a double and four RBI. … Babson senior pitcher Ali Reilly went 4-0 for five appearances, with 25 strikeouts over 30 innings of work. She also hit .385 with four runs, two doubles, a homer and two RBI. … Hope senior catcher Hayley Reitsma homered twice and tripled in the nightcap of a doubleheader against Albion, collecting a school-record 14 total bases, as part of her 27 total bases for a week in which she hit .750, scored nine runs, had three triples, four homers and 10 RBI. … Rowan senior outfielder Morgan Smith went 8-for-12 (.667) with three runs, two homers and four RBI. …  Suffolk senior catcher Delaney Sylvester had a 14-hit week, including the 200th of her career, going 14-for-21 (.667) with 11 runs, four walks, a double, four homers and 13 RBI. … Suffolk freshman pitcher/utility player Payton Sylvester went 3-0 with two complete games, 23 strikeouts and just three walks in 17 innings. She fanned a career-high 11 in a win over Emmanuel, and also hit .458 (11-for-24) with eight runs, five doubles, a homer and four RBI. … Central (Iowa) sophomore center fielder Sara Tallman scored the first run of the game in three of her team’s four contests (including twice in the first inning), and hit .600 with six steals in seven attempts. … St. John Fisher senior pitcher Lindsey Thayer had a no-hitter, perfect game and one-hitter in a 3-0 week in the circle, fanning 38 batters and walking one over 19 innings. … SUNY Oswego sophomore outfielder/pitcher Rebecca Vilchez hit in all eight games, compiling a .517 average and .759 slugging percentage on 15 hits. … Randolph-Macon junior pitcher Candace Whittemore was a walk away from a perfect game in a no-hitter against Bridgewater in which she struck out six.

Winners are selected by the NFCA Division III Top 25 Committee, which has a representative for each of the eight NCAA regions.

2018 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Pitcher of the Week

April 18 — Jazmyn Rohrer, Westminster College (Pa.), Sr., RHP, Purcellville, Va.

April 11 — Jacqueline Spizizen, Emory University, Fr., RHP, West Bloomfield, Mich.

April 4 — Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan University, So., LHP, Chesterfield, Va.

March 28 — Sydney Jones, Hope College, Sr., RHP, South Lyon, Mich.

March 21 — Jesse DeDomenico, Rowan University, So., RHP, East Windsor, N.J.

March 14 — Alanna Namit, The College of New Jersey, Fr., RHP, Mountainside, N.J.

March 7 — Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan University, So., LHP, Chesterfield, Va.

Feb. 28 — Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan University, So., LHP, Chesterfield, Va.

2018 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player of the Week

April 18 — Anna Dunn, Centenary College (La.), Sr., RF, Shreveport, La.

April 11 — Madison East, University of Pittsburgh-Bradford, So., CF, Milton, Pa.

April 4 — Grace Stock, Calvin College, Fr., C, Vicksburg, Mich.

March 28 — Laurren Ladwig, Manchester University, Sr., 2B, Crown Point, Ind.

March 21 — Morgan Arst, East Texas Baptist University, So., LF, Marshall, Texas

March 14 — Vada Blue Sherrill, Pfeiffer University, Jr., SS, Hiddenite, N.C.

March 7 — Amy Large, Virginia Wesleyan University, Sr., OF, Kennett Square, Pa.

Feb. 28 — Vada Blue Sherrill, Pfeiffer University, Jr., SS, Hiddenite, N.C.

Colorado Springs, Colo.- The NJCAA National Office announced this week’s NJCAA Softball Players of the Week for games played Feb. 26 through March 4.

 –Courtesy of NJCAA