Who gets the win?

In our middle school system (not sure if this goes for everyone), we have an hour and a half time limit. If you can complete 7 innings great but unless both teams are very good defensively, you typically only play 4 or 5 innings.

Our pitcher started the game and completed two full innings. While batting, our catcher took a ball to the ankle and dropped like a stone. Our starting pitcher is our only other decent catcher so she went to catch and we brought in another pitcher. The first pitcher had a 8 - 3 lead before we put in the other pitcher. The second pitcher pitched 3 innings and we won the game 14 - 3.

Who gets the win and why?

 

Opinion

My opinion is that the first pitcher gets the win. She had an 8-3 lead when she left and the other team never scored more than 8 runs after she left the rubber. Had the other teams taken a 9-8 lead and then your team came back to win, then the 2nd pitcher would get the win.

Again, only my opinion.....

 

FIRST PITCHER. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE PITCHER THAT IS IN WHEN THE LEAD IS TAKEN IS THE WINNING PITCHER THE SAME IF A PITCHER COMES IN AND GIVES THE LEAD UP THEN SHE'S THE LOOSING PITCHER. THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD.

 

So no rule for how many innings?

We did give the first pitcher the win because we are very confident that we would have won anyway if our catcher didn't get hurt.

My only other question is... is there a rule for the number of innings the starting pitcher has to pitch in order to get the win? For example, in baseball, the starting pitcher has to pitch at least 5 complete innings (more than half the game) to get the win. If they come out before then even if they are leading, they get a no decision. At least that is my understanding...

 

Minimum Innings for a win

At least in the NCAA, the starting pitcher must pitch at least 4 innings to get the win. If the starting pitcher goes out tied or behind, then the win would go to the pitcher of record when the team takes over the lead. If the starting pitcher throws less than 4 innings for any reason, she gets a no decision, regardless of the score when she came out.

I also learned a little nugget of info from our SID...Let's say you are playing a team and get up big in the first 2 or 3 innings. You pull your starter after 3 innings to give her some rest or to throw someone else....even if the game only goes 5 innings, the second pitcher gets credit for the win...UNLESS...you declare before the game to the official scorer that you are going to (not if you do but you ARE) run rule this team and the starter is going to pitch less than 4 innings. Not sure if this goes for high school, but it is interesting.

As far as your situation with the time limit goes, I would agree with the other posters that you should probably give the win to the starter.

 

NFHS Rule

Rule 9-6 art.6 (B)

If a game ends for whatever reason, having gone less than 7 innings, then the starting pitcher must have pitched 3 or more consecutive innings to be declared the winning pitcher.

I believe the middle schools in NC follow the NFHS Rule Book but I could be wrong.