NFHS Rule 2 - T/F
1. An appeal is a play or rule violation that requires a ruling from the umpire immediately after it
happens.
ANS: F
REF: 2-1
2. A coach may never make a baserunning appeal; only players on the field may appeal.
ANS: F
REF: 2-1-1; 2-1-3b1
3. Batting out of order can be a live- or dead-ball appeal.
ANS: F
REF: 2-1-2c
4. Any defensive fielder may make a live-ball appeal with the ball in her possession by tagging the
runner or touching the base that was missed or left too early.
ANS: T
REF: 2-1-3a
5. When the ball goes out of play, runners must be given the opportunity to complete their baserunning
responsibilities before a dead-ball appeal is made.
ANS: T
REF: 2-1-3b(2)
6. Runners are permitted to return to a missed base or a base left too soon before a dead-ball appeal can
be made
ANS: T
REF: 2-1-3b; 8-8-16
7. Any fielder, with or without the ball, may make a dead-ball appeal by verbally stating that the runner
missed the base or left too soon.
ANS: T
REF: 2-1-3b (1)
8. The defense may appeal either during a live or dead ball, but it must occur before the next pitch
(legal or illegal).
ANS: T
REF: 2-1-4a
9. An appeal must be made on the last play of the game before all infielders leave the field.
ANS: F
REF: 2-1-4c
10. Only one appeal may be made on any given runner.
ANS: F
REF: 2-1-8
11. If an appeal for the third out is honored at a base to which a runner was forced to advance, no runs
can score.
ANS: T
REF: 2-1-11
12. A batted ball is any pitch that comes in contact with the bat resulting in a fair or foul ball; contact
must be intentional.
ANS: F
REF: 2-2-2
13. It is a blocked ball when a live pitched, batted or thrown ball is touched, stopped or handled by a
person not engaged in the game.
ANS: T
REF: 2-2-3
14. A fly ball is a batted ball that rises an appreciable height above the ground.
ANS: T
REF: 2-2-6
15. A ground ball is a batted ball that is either fair or foul and bounces along the ground.
ANS: T
REF: 2-2-7
NOT: CSOA 2012
16. A passed ball is a pitch the catcher fails to stop or control when she should have been able to do so
with ordinary effort and allows a runner to advance.
ANS: T
REF: 2-2-8
17. A direct line between two consecutive bases is known as the base line.
ANS: T
REF: 2-3-1
18. A runner’s path is always defined as a direct line between two bases and three feet on either side of
that line.
ANS: F
REF: 2-3-2 note
19. A base runner establishes her own base path when she is not being played upon.
ANS: T
REF: 2-3-2 note
20. An altered bat was once legal, but has been structurally changed.
ANS: T
REF: 2-4-2a
21. A non-approved bat is a bat that does not meet ASA specifications
ANS: T
REF: 2-4-2b
22. a non-approved bat is a bat that does not meet NCAA specifications and has been placed on the
current non-approved bat list.
ANS: F
REF: 2-4-2b
23. The batter is the player of the team at bat who is entitled to occupy either of the two batter's boxes.
ANS: T
REF: 2-5-1
24. The batter-runner is a player who has finished her time at bat until she is put out or playing action
ends.
ANS: T
REF: 2-5-2
25. A rolling or cross-body slide into a fielder is legal provided the runner stays in the base path.
ANS: F
REF: 2-52-2a
26. An on-deck batter may leave the circle to avoid interfering with the catcher's opportunity to make an
out.
ANS: T
REF: 2-5-3; 7-5-4
27. An on-deck batter may use either the circle nearest her own dugout or the circle nearest the
opponent’s dugout.
ANS: F
REF: 2-5-3
28. The batter’s box is the area, including the lines, in which the batter is positioned when batting and is
4 feet wide and 3 feet long.
ANS: F
REF: 2-6
NOT: CSOA 2012
29. The batting order is the official list of starting offensive players presented in the order in which they
are to bat and recorded on a line- up card.
ANS: T
REF: 2-7-1
NOT: CSOA 2012
30. Batting out of order is failing to bat in proper sequence as listed on the official lineup card.
ANS: T
REF: 2-7-2
NOT: CSOA 2012
31. A bunt is a legally batted ball intentionally tapped or chopped at with the bat.
ANS: F
REF: 2-8-1
NOT: CSOA 2012
32. B1 holds the bat in the strike zone as the pitch is delivered, but does not make any movement to the
ball as it passes 2 inches over the bat. The umpire shall call a ball as the batter did not “offer” at the
pitch.
ANS: F
REF: 2-8-2; 2-56-1
33. An attempted bunt is any movement of the bat toward the ball when the ball is over or near the plate.
ANS: F
REF: 2-8-2
34. A drag bunt is attempting to bunt the ball by running forward in the batter's box, carrying the bat
with her. The movement of the bat is in conjunction with the batter's forward movement.
ANS: T
REF: 2-8-3
35. In establishing the validity of a catch, the fielder must only hold the ball long enough to prove she
has control.
ANS: F
REF: 2-9-2
36. If the fielder has made the catch but drops the ball either in transferring it to the throwing hand or in
making a throw, the ball shall be ruled caught.
ANS: T
REF: 2-9-3
37. A fielder who catches a ball in flight while contacting or stepping on a collapsible fence, which is
completely horizontal, is credited with a catch.
ANS: F
REF: 2-9-4
38. A legal catch cannot be made if the fielder is contacting a collapsible fence.
ANS: F
REF: 2-9-4
39. A catch is not credited if the ball strikes anything other than a defensive player while it is in flight.
ANS: T
REF: 2-9-5e
40. A thrown ball is considered trapped when it is on the ground and the glove/mitt or hand is over it,
and the player does not have control.
ANS: T
REF: 2-9-5f
41. A ball prevented from hitting the ground by a player's equipment or body shall be ruled caught even
if it is dropped.
ANS: F
REF: 2-9-6
42. When the catcher is in position to receive a pitch, she must be in the catcher's box.
ANS: T
REF: 2-10-1
43. The catcher is restricted to the catcher's box area from the time the pitcher steps on the pitcher's plate
until she releases the pitch.
ANS: T
REF: 2-10-2
44. A checked swing is the restraining action taken by a batter to stop an attempted hit/slap/bunt.
ANS: T
REF: 2-11
45. More than one coach can occupy the coach’s box when on offense.
ANS: F
REF: 2-13
46. A charged conference is when the coach or other bench/dugout personnel requests and is granted a
time-out to meet with offensive or defensive personnel.
ANS: T
REF: 2-14-1
47. During the pregame conference between umpires, coaches and team captains, no balls may be hit or
thrown in live-ball territory.
ANS: T
REF: 2-14-2; 4-1-2a
48. A team's warm-up area could legally be behind the bleachers out of the umpire's view.
ANS: F
REF: 2-15
49. A crow hop is the replant of the pivot foot by the pitcher prior to delivering the pitch.
ANS: T
REF: 2-16
50. The dugout is the area reserved for team personnel and family engaged in the game.
ANS: F
REF: 2-17
51. An ejection is the exercise of an umpire's authority to remove team personnel from further
participation in a game.
ANS: T
REF: 2-19
52. A fair fly shall be judged according to the relative position of the ball and the whether the fielder is
in fair or foul territory at the time she touches the ball.
ANS: F
REF: 2-20-2
53. B1 bunts the ball and drops her bat. The bat is lying stationary in fair territory and the ball rolls
against it. The ball remains live.
ANS: T
REF: 2-20-1a; 7-4-13
54. A fair ball is a batted ball that first falls or is first touched on or over fair territory beyond first,
second or third base.
ANS: T
REF: 2-20-1f
55. Faking a tag is always considered obstruction.
ANS: T
REF: 2-21
56. Fair territory is that part of the playing field within but excluding the foul lines from home plate to
the bottom of the home run fence (if applicable) and vertical.
ANS: F
REF: 2-22-2
57. Foul territory is that part of the playing field outside the first and third base lines from home plate to
the bottom of the home run fence and perpendicularly upwards.
ANS: T
REF: 2-22-3
58. The field of play is the area within which the ball may be legally played and fielded.
ANS: T
REF: 2-22-1
59. If a ball becomes lodged in a fence or back- stop, it is considered to be in dead-ball area.
ANS: T
REF: 2-22-4
60. The pitcher and catcher are known as the battery and are not considered infielders.
ANS: F
REF: 2-23-2
61. Infielders are usually the first base player, second base- player, third base player, shortstop, pitcher
and catcher.
ANS: T
REF: 2-23-2
62. A force play is a play in which a runner loses the right to the base occupied and is forced to advance
because the batter becomes the batter-runner.
ANS: T
REF: 2-24-1
63. For a given runner, a force play ends as soon as the runner touches the next base or a following
runner is put out.
ANS: T
REF: 2-24-2
64. If a batted ball is caught before it touches the ground there can be no force play(s).
ANS: T
REF: 2-24-3
65. If a forced runner, after touching the next base, except home, retreats for any reason towards the base
she had first occupied, the force play is not reinstated.
ANS: F
REF: 2-24-4
66. A foul tip is a batted ball that goes sharply and directly from the bat to the catcher’s mitt or hand and
is legally caught by any defensive player.
ANS: F
REF: 2-25-2
67. A foul ball is a batted ball that while over foul territory, a runner interferes with a defensive player
attempting to field a batted ball.
ANS: T
REF: 2-25-1e
68. A foul tip is a batted ball that goes sharply and directly from the bat to the catcher's mitt or hand and
is legally caught by the catcher.
ANS: T
REF: 2-25-2
69. A forfeited game is a game awarded to the offending team.
ANS: F
REF: 2-26-4
70. An illegally batted ball is a pitch contacted by the batter when any part of either foot is in contact
with the plate at the time of con-tact with the ball.
ANS: T
REF: 2-27-1b
71. An illegally batted ball is a pitch contacted by the batter when one or both feet are on the ground and
entirely outside the lines of the batter's box at the time of bat-ball contact.
ANS: T
REF: 2-27-1c
72. A ball in flight is any batted, thrown or pitched ball that has not touched the ground, an object or a
person other than a player.
ANS: T
REF: 2-28
73. The infield is that portion of the field in fair territory that must be skinned and covered by the pitcher
and infielders.
ANS: F
REF: 2-29
74. An "infield fly" cannot be ruled if an outfielder catches the ball.
ANS: F
REF: 2-30
75. An inning is that portion of a game within which the teams alternate on offense and defense and in
which there are three outs for each team.
ANS: T
REF: 2-31
76. Interference is an act, physical or verbal, by a member of the offensive team that illegally impeded,
hinders or confuses any fielder.
ANS: T
REF: 2-32-1
77. It is interference when a runner slides into the glove of a fielder and knocks the ball out of the glove.
ANS: F
REF: 2-32-1; 2-52-1; 8-6-10d
78. A leap is when both feet of the pitcher are airborne prior to delivering the pitch.
ANS: T
REF: 2-33
79. A line drive is a batted ball which travels parallel or near to the ground through most of its flight.
ANS: T
REF: 2-34
80. Malicious contact is an act that involves excessive force with an opponent.
ANS: T
REF: 2-35
81. Obstruction is called on F2 when she is about to receive the ball while blocking home plate, and
comes in contact with the runner sliding into home.
ANS: T
REF: 2-36; 8-4-3b
82. It is not obstruction if an errant throw pulls the 1st baseman without the ball into the path of the
batter-runner and impedes her progress.
ANS: F
REF: 2-36; 8-4-3b
83. Obstruction is a defensive act that impedes the progress of a runner who is legally running the bases
unless the fielder is in possession of the ball, about to receive a thrown ball or is fielding a batted
ball.
ANS: F
REF: 2-36
84. The on-deck circle is a circle for each team, 5 feet in diameter, located a safe distance to the side and
away from home plate.
ANS: T
REF: 2-37
85. The on-deck circle must be at least 30 feet away from the home plate.
ANS: F
REF: 2-37
86. An out is a declaration by the umpire indicating an offensive player has been retired.
ANS: T
REF: 2-38-1
87. A force out is a putout during which an offensive player who is being forced to advance is tagged
out, or is put out by a fielder who holds the ball while touching the base toward which the forced
runner is advancing.
ANS: T
REF: 2-38-2
88. On a tag out, the ball is considered as having been held securely if it is juggled after the touching the
offensive player.
ANS: F
REF: 2-38-3
89. Over sliding is an act of an offensive player, who after advancing to a base, loses contact and goes
past it.
ANS: T
REF: 2-40
90. A pinch hitter is a player who is inserted into the line- up in the place of the batter. The pinch hitter
will be removed from the lineup as soon as she has completed her term at bat.
ANS: F
REF: 2-42-1
91. A pinch runner is a player who is inserted into the lineup in the place of a base runner. The pinch
runner will stay in the lineup until she is replaced by the player for whom she ran or another
substitute.
ANS: T
REF: 2-42-2
92. A quick pitch is a pitch delivered that catches the batter off balance or otherwise unprepared to bat.
ANS: T
REF: 2-43-4
93. A pitcher is in the 16-foot circle when both feet are within or partially within the line.
ANS: T
REF: 2-45
94. The pitcher’s pivot foot is that foot with which the pitcher steps toward home plate.
ANS: F
REF: 2-46
95. “Play Ball” is the directive given by the umpire when it is time for the game to begin or to be
resumed after having been suspended when "time" was granted.
ANS: T
REF: 2-47-1
96. Making a play is any action by a fielder who is attempting to catch or gain control of a batted or
thrown ball.
ANS: T
REF: 2-47-2b
97. A fielder is considered to be making an initial play if the batted ground ball deflects off the pitcher.
ANS: T
REF: 2-47-3a
98. The fielder is still considered to be making an initial play if she does not gain control of a batted
ground ball but is still within a "step and reach" from the spot of the initial contact.
ANS: T
REF: 2-47-3c
99. A run is scored when an offensive player legally advances to and touches home plate.
ANS: T
REF: 2-49
100. A retired runner is a player who has scored, or who has been put out and who is in dead-ball
territory.
ANS: F
REF: 2-50-2
101.
A slap hit is a batted ball that has been struck with a short, chopping motion rather than with a full
swing.
ANS: T
REF: 2-51-1
102. A slide is illegal if the runner’s raised leg is higher than the fielder’s knee when the fielder is in a
standing position.
ANS: F
REF: 2-52-2b
103. A legal slide can only be feet first.
ANS: F
REF: 2-52-1
104. A squeeze play is a play in which a runner advances toward home plate from third, following the
release of the pitched ball, and during which the batter bunts or attempts to bunt to score the runner.
ANS: T
REF: 2-53
105. A stolen base is the advance of a runner to the next base without the aid of a base hit, a putout, a
fielding error, a passed ball or a wild pitch.
ANS: T
REF: 2-55
106. The strike zone is the space over any part of home plate that is between the batter's highest shoulder
and the knees when the batter assumes a natural batting stance.
ANS: F
REF: 2-56-3
107. To be considered a strike, the entire circumference of the ball must pass through the strike zone in
flight.
ANS: F
REF: 2-56-3
108. A strike may be called by the umpire for specific actions by the batter or the offense.
ANS: T
DIF: 14
REF: 2-56-1
109. An illegal substitute is a player who is in the game but has entered without reporting.
ANS: F
REF: 2-57-3
110. A substitute is any player who enters or re-enters the game.
ANS: T
REF: 2-57-1
111. Team members are players listed on the team roster and lineup as submitted to the umpire at the pregame meeting.
ANS: T
REF: 2-58
112. At the pregame meeting, the head coach must list all team members on the team's roster.
ANS: T
REF: 2-58
113. The 3-foot running lane is a space defined by a line drawn 3 feet from and parallel to the first-base
foul line starting halfway between home and first base and extending to first base in foul territory.
ANS: T
REF: 2-58
114. Team personnel consist of all school representatives located in the team dugout/bench area,
including but not limited to coaches, managers, certified athletic trainers, scorekeepers and spouses.
ANS: T
REF: 2-59
115. The time at bat is the period beginning when a batter first enters the batter's box and continues until
she is put out or becomes a batter-runner.
ANS: T
REF: 2-62
116. The 3-foot running lane is a space defined by a line drawn 3 feet from and parallel to the first-base
foul line starting halfway between home and first base and extending to first base in foul territory.
ANS: T
REF: 2-60
117. A timing play occurs when the last out of an inning is not the result of a force out and the time of the
out may or may not allow a run to score.
ANS: T
REF: 2-63
118. An intentional base on balls may be requested by the defensive coach or catcher to award the batter
first base without any pitches being thrown.
ANS:
F
REF:
2-65-2; 8-1-1c