SUBSTITUTION
QUESTION: In high school, baseball and softball, Mays is the center fielder and batting third in the starting lineup. Snider is a sub who enters for Groat the second base person, batting in the eighth slot. Coach wants Mays to play second and Snider to play center field when on defense. Where does Snider bat in the lineup; in the third or eighth slot in the batting order?
ANSWER: Despite the defensive positions switch, Snider is a straight substitution for Groat; hence, Snider bats in the eighth slot. Mays continues to bat in original third slot. When a sub enters a game, he / she bats in the position of the offensive player that is being replaced. (BB- Rule 3, Sec. 1, Art. 1-4; SB- Rule 3, Sec. 3, Art. 1-5).
QUESTION: Can a substitute enter the game twice in a game?
ANSWER: (BB only- A sub can enter for a starter only once and if starter chooses to re-enter he must return to game in same original batting position; hence, sub is replaced and returns to bench.(BB- Rule 3, Sec. 1, Art. 1)
(SB only- subs as well as starters are allowed two entries into the game. Snider may sub in for starterGroat in third inning; Groat may re-enter for Snider in fifth inning; Snider may re-enter a second time for Groat in the sixth inning but Groat may no longer play in game. In each case, Groat and Snider must bat in same slot in batting order. Starter and sub may not be in game at same time. (SB- Rule 3, Sec.3, Art.5).