Every sports fan agrees that replay review has been for the better of their favorite sport, but in NCAA softball, there is one replay review that is extremely controversial: leaving the base early.
In the 2024 softball season, the NCAA softball replay committee ruled that coaches would be allowed to challenge a runner leaving a base before the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand. This appeared to be a great rule change at first; however, it soon became used to stall rallies, change momentum and overall feel like a “cheap out” when a team gets ahead.
In the 2026 NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, LSU softball ran hot bats throughout the tournament, and led to the opposing team taking a chance at limiting a rally. In Game 1 versus Virginia Tech, the Hokies attempted to catch the Tigers in the dishonest moment, and failed. LSU would win the challenge, and the Tigers’ rally continued.
LSU would win the game 8-0 in six innings of play.
But this wasn’t the only time it impacted the Tigers.
In the 2024 SEC tournament, LSU was a victim of this rule when it was most detrimental. After beating the No. 1 seed Tennessee in the previous game, the Tigers were looking highly competitive to win the tournament, but in the latter innings of a matchup with the Missouri Tigers, second baseman Karli Petty was ruled out for leaving the base early.
In this case, it would end the top of the seventh inning, and LSU would eventually lose in extra innings.
While Petty was clearly in the wrong for leaving the base early, which is one of the most quintessential rules, this play was not available for review at any point before the 2024 season. In any of the prior collegiate seasons Petty played, she wouldn’t have been ruled out unless the field umpire noticed it in the moment, which was pretty rare.
This call easily changed the momentum of the game as the Tigers would lose the contest after Petty was ruled out on the field.
This call and situation have also benefited LSU. Also in the 2024 season, the Tigers took on Texas A&M in Baton Rouge. In a contest that ended in a walk-off home run, LSU head coach Beth Torina made a correct call on an Aggie stolen base, and the moment would change the trajectory of the game.
This call ended the inning, and the Tigers would go on to walk off the ballgame 2-1 in the seventh inning.
A moment so small that it leads to stricter adherence of the rules has caused a lot of trouble for several teams. These small moments that change the momentum aren’t natural assets of the game, so they have caused a learning curve. Now in 2026, the call has become more strategic and beneficial to the teams that need it, and most teams are playing it safer on the basepaths.
The future of the game lies in these changes, and this rule is just one example of many.
