2.08 Designated Hitter: During the regular season, all levels will use the following rule and Class A Juniors, B & C Seniors and Juniors will continue to use this rule for Area and State Tournaments.

• A hitter may be (not mandatory) designated for any one starting player (not just pitchers) and all subsequent substitutes for that player in the game.
• A designated hitter for said player shall be selected prior to the start of the game, and the player’s name shall be included on the lineup cards presented to the umpire-in-chief and to the official scorer.
• A team forfeits the use of a designated hitter if it fails to declare a designated hitter prior to the game. If a pinch hitter or pinch runner for the designated hitter isused, that player becomes the new designated hitter.
• The player who was the designated hitter may re-enter as the designated hitter under the re-entry rule.
• A designated hitter and the player for whom the designated hitter us batting are locked into the batting order.
• No multiple substitutions may be made that will alter the batting rotation.
• A designated hitter may be used in one of the two scenarios:

a. The designated hitter may be the 10th starter hitting for any one of the nine starting defensive players. If the designated hitter is used in this manner, the role of the DH is terminated for the remainder of the game when:

1. The defensive player, or any previous defensive player for whom the designated hitter batted, subsequently bats, pinch-hits or pinch-runs for the designated hitter: or

2. The designated hitter or any previous designated hitter assumes a defensive position.

b. The starting designated hitter may be any one of the starting defensive players. In this manner, the starting defensive player has two options: the defensive player and the designated hitter.

• The role of the defensive player may be substituted for by any legal substitute. If the defensive player has been substituted for, the original player/DH may re-enter one time.
• The role of the DH is terminated for the remainder of the game when:

1. A substitute or former substitute for the defensive role subsequently participates in an offensive role: or

2. The starting defensive player/DH is substituted for either as a hitter or a runner. (NFHS

Rule 3-1, ART 4, pg 28)