NCAA To Test Bats From Women's College World Series

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The NCAA will test two bats used by each team playing in the Women's College World Series to see if they meet the safety standards.<br/><br/>Dee Abrahamson of the NCAA says after

Wednesday, May 30th 2007, 8:28 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The NCAA will test two bats used by each team playing in the Women's College World Series to see if they meet the safety standards.

Dee Abrahamson of the NCAA says after the series, the bats will be taken to a laboratory at Washington State University to test the exit speed of balls leaving the bat. Abrahamson says that unlike aluminum that weakens over time, composite bats improve.

Besides the 16 bats from the Division One world series, Abrahamson said four bats apiece from Division Two and Division Three will be tested. A $25,000 grant will also pay for up to six additional bats.

Certified bats are not to have an exit speed higher than 98 miles per hour. All the bats used at the NCAA softball championships were approved before their use, but the concern is that their performance changes as they are broken in.

Abrahamson says the tests aren't meant to catch cheaters, but to protect the integrity of the game and players' safety.

Arizona coach Mike Candrea, who also coaches the U.S. national team, supports the bat tests.