@itsmagic,
That was definitely the same game!
I double checked with the Umpire-in-Chief after the game and he told me that (in pool play) teams had the option of using either the last batted out or a sub on the bench who had not yet participated in the game as the courtesy runner (which is the standard ASA rule). So I believe that we had that one right. There is often confusion when a tournament throws in those non-standard rules.
On the quick pitches, there were actually three different situations that came up. Early in the game, the Express pitcher was cutting it kind of close and rolling through with her pitch almost the instant I put the ball into play (pointed at the picher and said "Play"). So, I began holding up a hand while the batters were getting set to make extra sure there weren't any quick pitches. The Express pitcher did try to throw a pitch while I still had my hand up (which means play is suspended, or "time out"). I immediately called "no pitch", let everybody re-set and asked the pitcher not to pitch when my hand was up.
A little later (can't remember which team was at bat on this one), after the batter was set I put the ball into play, the pitcher started her motion, then the batter said "time" and stepped out of the box. I did not grant time. The pitcher aborted her pitch at that point. By rule, the batter cannot request time once the pitcher starts her motion. Since no pitch was delivered, this was also a "no pitch". I also warned that batter not to call time once the pitcher had started her motion.
On the third one (which I believe is the one we had a conversation about) your batter was at the plate. I had my hand up the entire time she was getting set in the box. Once she appeared to be set and ready, I put the ball into play. The pitcher started her motion, then the batter asked for time and took a step away from the plate. I did not grant time, because we're not supposed to at that point- the pitch had already started. On this one, the pitcher completed her delivery. When this happens, we are supposed to call the pitch just like any other, based on it's relation to the strike zone. It was right down the middle and I called it a strike.
I didn't really see this one as a quick pitch at all, since I had held my hand up to the pitcher the entire time your batter was getting ready. I didn't put the ball into play until it looked like she was fully set, in position and appeared ready to receive a pitch. Then a few seconds passed before the pitcher started her motion and your batter asked for time. I'm not really sure why she asked for time, since she seemed to be ready and the pitcher wasn't taking too much time to start the pitch.
There were a couple of other unusual calls in that game, one that went against each team. On one, I called an Express batter for being out of the box on a slap. That is a call you shouldn't make unless you're 100% sure you saw it, and on that one I was sure I did. Her front foot was planted about 6-8 inches out in front of the line when she hit the ball.
On the other, one of your batter's bunted, left the box and started toward first and it looked to me like her foot hit the ball (accidently, not on purpose), so I called her out for interference. Her foot barely touched it, which is a bad break for her...but it's still interference.
Then we had the one where your pitcher asked me the count, and I thought that she asked where the pitch was (it was about chin high on the batter). Both catchers were asking, "Where was that one, Blue?", on pitches that were WAY out of the strike zone and I was getting kind of tired of it! I didn't think that she was asking about the count because right before that pitch I had held up a finger on each hand and said, "One ball, one strike". That was my bad for misunderstanding what she had asked. Sorry about that!
While I'm apologizing, I will note that there was one pitch early in the game where you pitcher though she had strike three, but I called it a ball. It was around the knees and near the inside corner. The only problem was that your catcher moved up and in to get the pitch and completely blocked my view at the last second. So maybe I missed that one. I think that the batter grounded out on the next pitch. Your catcher did seem to work awfully close to the plate and I did have to adjust to that. I had to set up a little bit higher to see over her and that seemed to help.
Anyway...you have a good team and it was a pleasure working these games for you!