Kentucky became the first state on Tuesday to mandate that softball players at high-risk positions be required to wear facemasks at the high school level.

The ruling was especially aimed at pitchers, who are at the highest risk of being struck in the face by a softball. The other positions affected by the new rule are at the hot corners of first and third base.

In making the ruling this week, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association said it wanted to be proactive about protecting players before there is a serious incident.

"We cannot sit idly by any longer when obvious solutions exist to protect the young ladies in the Commonwealth who want to play this great and continually growing game where the talent and ability levels continue to improve," said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett, as cited by USA Today.

In her comments, Tackett touched on a major item that will define the future of the sport at all levels. As training has improved through programs such as USA Elite, softball players have become more skilled at a younger age. The technology of softball bats is also advancing, leaving pitchers and infielders susceptible to hard-hit balls in a compact field.

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Will Kentucky Impact the Rest of Softball?

There are two different directions that Kentucky's facemask ruling could spread throughout the sport.

The first direction is across to other state athletic commissions that will have to decide what is in the best interest of their states' players -- not only at the high school level but also at lower levels.

The other direction is upward to the college, pro, and Olympics levels. Athletic directors and professional softball decision-makers will have to evaluate whether facemasks should become mandatory or if players should retain the right to decide for themselves.

On softball's biggest stage of the Women's College World Series, the Florida Gators were an example of a team that showcased players choosing both options. Ace pitcher Kelly Barnhill wore the facemask, while fellow ace Delanie Gourley did not wear the mask.

Will that change in the future to pitchers mandated to wear a mask?

The key is whether there is enough information to make a universal decision. Right now, here's what the evidence reveals.

Are Scattered Incidents Enough to Mandate Facemasks?

There are plenty of stories about softball pitchers being struck in the face by line drives. Is that enough to make the facemask mandatory?

Oklahoma Sooners pitcher Paige Lowary was struck by a ball in the face when she pitched for Missouri. Before the incident, she recalled having a reactive mindset about wearing a facemask.

"I remember telling (my mom), 'I'm not wearing a mask unless I get hit in the face,'" she told the Kansas City Star in 2016. After taking a blow off the face, she wishes she wore a mask.

Paige's incident came after her former Missouri teammate Tori Finucane was smashed in the face by a line drive during the 2015 Super Regionals.

"The first thing I thought was, 'I hope this doesn't kill her,'" Mizzou coach Ehren Earleywine said in the same article. "When it hit her, the sound was just chilling. It was so solid."

Of course, not every incident occurs under the bright lights of the NCAA tournament and college softball. Apparently, there were enough instances of players being struck in the state of Kentucky for the athletic commission to act.

"I am thankful our Board decided to act now rather than wait until the issue reaches critical mass and other entities find themselves in the position of needing to be reactive rather than proactive in this area," Tackett said in the KHSAA's news release.

"Our experience the last few years has left us with multiple anecdotal and documented reports of incidents within our state that leave us no option but to leave our national rules-making body behind in terms of waiting for change."

While the "anecdotal and documented reports" are not enough to make the ruling mandatory across all levels of softball, the topic is subject to strong debate in forums ranging from social media to think tanks involving key decision makers in the sport.

Everyone has to decide whether the speed of the game and skill of the players has reached the point at which more protection is needed for high-risk position players.

Kentucky's ruling could be the first of many to follow.

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