How can Texas Tech softball rotate pitchers in Women's College World Series?
· Yahoo Sports
OKLAHOMA CITY — If you're watching the Women's College World Series and wondering how the Texas Tech softball team can keep rotating pitchers NiJaree Canady and Kaitlyn Terry during the game, you're not alone.
Gerry Glasco has been known for finding every available loophole in the rules and using it to his advantage. With two solid pitchers who can both hit at his disposal, Glasco has recently found a new one that has caused some confusion.
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Glasco instituted the pitching setup he finished the Super Regional against Florida with again in Sunday's game against UCLA. Canady started the game, then gave way to Terry for a lengthy spell. Terry was pulled in the seventh inning and replaced by Canady, who then was replaced by Terry and then Canady came back in again in the eighth.
Many were baffled at seeing the practice during Tech's third game against the Gators, but it is completely legal.
How is Texas Tech softball able to sub in pitchers whenever it wants?
Baseball and softball have very different rules when it comes to how pitchers are able to be used. In baseball, once a pitcher has exited a game, they are not allowed to return. In softball, starting pitchers are allowed to return even after they have been pulled.
The caveat to what Texas Tech is doing is the designated player position, which can be used in a variety of ways. Teams often use it as a de facto designated hitter spot, similar to baseball, where a player will take a spot in the batting order for one of the nine starters on the defensive side. Most often, the DP hits for the pitcher, but they'll also sometimes hit for a position player, particularly an outfielder.
Texas Tech is using the DP to essentially have two pitchers in the starting lineup at all times, allowing them to bring in Terry and Canady whenever they see fit. This is legal in softball as the DP can be any position, and as long as the DP is in batting order, they can be used anywhere at any time, including pitcher.
How Texas Tech softball utilized the DP to rotate pitchers throughout the Women's College World Series game against UCLA
Canady, as the starting pitcher, is allowed to come back in whenever and Terry, who started in left field, never left the lineup. The Red Raiders made several moves throughout the game to make the lineup legal, but it surrounds Jasmyn Burns.
Burns started as the DP then was replaced by a combination of Canady and Jackie Lis. After Canady gave up the game-tying home run to Woolery in the bottom of the seventh, Terry was put back in to pitch and Canady went to play first base, which then made Lis, the starting first baseman, the legal DP.
Terry later went back to pitch with Canady staying at first. When Canady was reinserted to pitch in the bottom of the eighth, Terry was moved to the DP position and Lis was put back at first.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: What is Texas Tech softball doing with its pitchers in Women's College World Series?