Shamrock Baseball Forfeits Under Pitch Count Rule

On the field last Monday, North Harrison beat Mercer/Princeton 29-9. However, under MSHSAA rules, North Harrison was forced to forfeit the game because they had used a pitcher, Tyler Lundy, who had pitched the Grundy County game. Lundy threw 20 pitches in the Mercer/Princeton game, played on April 30th. But since Lundy had pitched more than 75 pitches in North Harrison’s 20-4 win on April 26th, he was required to rest for four days, including the 30th, and was thus not “available.”

The relevant MSHSAA rule on the website states, “Using an unavailable pitcher is defined as using a pitcher who has gone over the maximum number of pitches, not taking the required number of days of rest and/or falsifying records to allow a pitcher to not take the required number of days of rest.  If an unavailable pitcher is used the team shall forfeit the contest on the date of the violation and the head coach will be suspended from the next contest.  All violations must be reported to the MSHSAA office.”

Coach Rob Claycomb sat out North Harrison’s 12-1 victory over Platte Valley Thursday. Assistant Coach Aaron Long managed the team that game.

The rule was designed to prevent teams from using one standout pitcher to gain an undue advantage over other teams without such a pitcher. The rule is also designed to protect against pitchers from permanently injuring their arms. In a press release last year announcing the rule, MSHSAA stated, “The need for pitch count restrictions comes from an increase in the number of overuse arm injuries in recent years. Since the purpose of education based athletics is to focus on the intentional development of the educational, social, physical and emotional well-being of each student athlete, developing a restriction to put the health of the student ahead of the result of the game is the right thing to do.”

The rule came from the national level. National Federation of High School Association rules require each state association, including MSHSAA, to establish a pitching restriction policy based on the number of pitches used. In Missouri, the pitch count restrictions took effect for the first time last year. These rules are in effect for regular season games as well as district contests and tournaments.

Each junior and senior pitcher can pitch a maximum of 105 pitches in a day; each freshman and sophomore can pitch a maximum of 95 pitches in a day. If they pitched 1-30 pitches, they can pitch again the next day. If they pitch 31-45 pitches, they must rest one day. If they pitch 46-60 pitches, they must rest two days. If they pitch 61-75 pitches, they must rest three days. If they pitch from 76 to 105 pitches, they must rest four days.

MSHSAA procedures state that team schedules should be accurately entered and maintained on the MSHSAA website for all levels. Teams should exchange pitch count verification sheets prior to each game. Both teams should track and confirm pitches at the conclusion of each half inning. The home team’s pitch count is used if a dispute cannot be resolved. If a pitcher reaches his maximum pitch count, he is allowed to finish the at-bat for the batter in the box. In other words, if a pitcher is at 105 pitches and has an 0-2 count on the person currently batting, they are allowed to finish the at-bat. Both coaches meet at the end of each game and sign the verification sheet at the end of each contest.

Each coach must report pitch counts for all pitchers at all levels to MSHSAA within 24 hours.
MSHSAA provides for a $25 fine for schools which fail to enter their pitch counts within the 24 hour time period following a contest. The fine is a per-contest assessment.