The Southeastern Conference (SEC) announced on Monday that it will experiment with an Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system during this year’s baseball tournament. This will be the first time ABS challenges, which are making their Major League Baseball debut this season, will be used in college baseball
The NCAA Baseball Rules Committee granted the SEC’s request on Monday to institute a ball-and-strike challenge system for every conference tournament game this year. It will operate similarly to Major League Baseball’s system.
In the system, the pitcher, catcher, and batter at the plate may contest a home plate umpire’s ball or strike call within a limited time frame following the pitch. In Major League Baseball, each team begins a game with two challenges. Each successful challenge lets the team retain another one for later in the game.
In the SEC system, each team, according to D1Baseball writer Kendall Rogers, will have three challenges. They will also receive an additional challenge in extra innings if they have used all of their challenges before the extra frames.
“The introduction of this challenge system at the SEC Tournament reflects our continued commitment to innovation,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “This addition represents a continued step forward for our game, aligns more closely with the professional level and supports the development of our student-athletes as they prepare for success at the next level.”
Currently, in Major League Baseball, umpires have overturned 53% of ABS challenges out of 1,882 total. Pitchers or catchers have challenged 59% of the calls.
The SEC baseball tournament begins on May 19 and runs through May 24 in Hoover, Alabama.