Getting a strike may have just gotten easier for pitchers in slo-pitch.
The Penticton Slo-Pitch League is following the suit of Slo-Pitch National with how strikes will be called.
The league unanimously voted duirng its annual general meeting Feb. 18 for the strike mat (measured at 22 inches by 40 inches) to be used to determine balls and strikes. SPN started using the rule in 2014 after announcing the change in 2013.
With that rule, any legally delivered pitch that touches any part of the plate is a strike. Penticton Slo-Pitch president Chris Atkins said this is a good change, especially with batters hitting back to the pitcher.
“The favour is in the pitcher now,” said Atkins, adding that people attending umpire clinics aren’t training for the strike zones anymore. “There are advantages of having a strike zone, advantages of having matt ball.”
League play is set to hit diamonds throughout the city starting March. 29.