Easton Sports, a California company that manufactures bats for baseball and softball, last month unveiled a laminated softball bat that the company says will show de-lamination marks when a bat’s performance level exceeds standards.

The resulting breakdown in the epoxy resin system that holds the composite bat together could show de-lamination marks if its compression changes through normal use or if the bat is “rolled” (a process that improves a bat’s trampoline effect to produce greater ball speed and distance). The bat has yet to undergo any NCAA testing.

Officials tested all bats at the Men’s College World Series for compression levels, and the Baseball Rules Committee will examine data next month with the possibility of setting standards.

Mike Zlaket, Easton’s vice president and general manager of the baseball/softball division, talked with The NCAA News about why his company created the new bats, their use and whether a similar product will be developed for baseball.

NCAA News: Why did you create this product?

Mike Zlaket: This unique technology allows us to have a layer of glass on the outside of our bat designs, which allows them to be translucent as opposed to the outer  layer of a composite bat being carbon, which is opaque. Combine that with the fact that the American Softball Association, and by extension the NCAA, have some restrictive standards in place, and it’s important that we comply with and try to provide some help for players and umpires to know when a bat is over the limit and shouldn’t be used any more. That made it a pretty good combination for us.

NCAA News: Can the bats delaminate from normal use?

Zlaket: Yes, that’s how composite bats tend to break. The difference between our bats and competitors’ bats is that with our bats, you see it happening. So there is a direct correlation that we proved with a lot of research and talking back and forth with the ASA in particular. We proved the correlation between when the splotch becomes more than dime-sized on the bat, that bat is going to go over the 98 mile-an-hour limit. Therefore, when somebody sees it on the field, whether it’s a player or an umpire, that bat shouldn’t be used any more. Competitors’ bats would be breaking the same way, and they tend to heat up along the way, but you wouldn’t see it until the bat fails. Along the way, that bat is likely to get over the limit and really shouldn’t be allowed for play. You wouldn’t know it by looking at it.

NCAA News: How long does it take for normal use to cause de-lamination?

Zlaket: It varies widely. The harder you are on a bat, the more rapidly it can happen. We warranty our bats for a year. Under normal usage, they last a long time. It depends. Colleges in particular can be pretty hard on a bat and go through them faster because they are playing at the highest possible level and are playing intensively. So it just varies.

NCAA News: Have you heard feedback from users?

Zlaket: Yes. It’s generally good. This bat is substantively no different than the bats we were making before. We are proud of the fact that because of our technology and the way we make them, our bats tend to start out of the wrapper very close to the limit and they stay there, they don’t break in. We’ve always had a successful composite softball bat line, and this is just a continuation of that. As far as the technology and how it’s designed, it’s neat-looking as you can tell. That’s the biggest comment.

NCAA News: Have you considered developing the bat for baseball?

Zlaket: We’ve talked about doing it. It’s more difficult to do it for baseball, and we haven’t been able to do it yet. Baseball bats expand into the barrel as opposed to fast-pitch bats, which tend to be a long relatively flat tube from handle to end. There are some tricks, and we have not yet been able to perfect it for baseball bats.

NCAA News: Part of the reason your company says it developed the bat was to protect the integrity of the game. Why is that important?

Zlaket: It’s no secret from our discussions with the ASA and the NCAA that they want certain standards in the game, which we get, and they want to control the equipment that is in play, and we understand that as well. From our standpoint, this is a way to put the best bats on the field and give a readily apparent signal to players and umpires as to when the bat is not suitable for use anymore. We think that fits really well with what the associations want.