Megan Gibson is our "designated player" in softball. What does that mean?

We were discussing this another day in a game thread. I think the designated player is more or less equivalent to the DH. Then there's a player who fields but doesn't bat. I can't remember the term we were using. This is especially important when your pitcher bats also. For example, the other night our catcher never came to the plate because we had Scarborough bat instead.

OK thanks. I just thought it was confusing in Megan's case because she batted AND pitched in last night's game.

DP = listed on lineup card in batting order but not on defense (NCAA softball rules).

DP is the softball equivlant of the DH however they are not limited to hitting for the pitcher. If you had a pitcher like Cat at tu then you would hit for her, but otherwise you hit for the weak bat or slow runner. I'm not real informed on the subject, but thats what I've viewed over the last few years.

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Well, you all are on the right tract.
The "DP" (Designated Player) is listed in the batting order among the 9 batters. She is listed anywhere in the batting order instead of any one specific deffensive player. Unlike the "DH" (designated hitter), she does not have to be batting for the picher, she may be batting for any one of the nine deffenders.

The player she is batting for is labeled as the "Flex" player, and plays defense only.

If the "Flex" player is ever allowed to take a turn at bat during a game, she must take the batting order that was occupied by the "DP" and at that time, it does away with the coach's option to use a "DP".

I know this can be confusing, but as a high school fast pitch umpire for the past five years, I have seen good coaches use this rule to their advatage and I have seen some coach's who don't yet understand what the purpose of the rule is all about.

thanks for the clarification.