Collisions at the plate

[NoVA Softball]

Sorry to ask two rules-y questions in a row, but I am interested in thoughts about contact on plays at the plate. We play USSSA but also curious to hear about how other rulesets treat these plays.

I've taught my DD and our team's other catcher to position per NECC's video -- one foot width in fair territory and 3' up the line. The explanation is that this gives more than 1/2 the basepath to the runner and should prevent OBS calls when ball and runner are arriving near the same time.

Given that the runner has a clear path to the plate, how much contact with the C is reasonable on a close play at home? At our most recent tournament, both our catchers took pretty good licks on plays at home (both held on and got the out) but it sure seemed like there way way more contact than necessary, given the clear path to home available to the runners in both cases.

So, what do you consider reasonable contact?

 

[Lenski]

Do you have video?

 

[NoVA Softball]

No video. Really looking for more of a general discussion than a ruling on a specific play.

The only thing I can find in the USSSA rulebook is:
Sec 18. Any runner is out when the runner:
B. slides illegally and causes illegal contact and/or illegally alters the actions
of a fielder in the immediate act of making a play on him.
PENALTY: The runner is out and the ball is dead immediately and
interference is called.
NOTE: Runners are never required to slide but, if the runner elects to
slide, the slide shall be legal.
C. does not legally attempt to avoid a fielder in the immediate act of making
a play on him.
PENALTY: The runner is out and the ball remains live unless
interference is called.
NOTE: Jumping, hurdling, and leaping are all legal attempts to avoid a
fielder only if the fielder is lying on the ground.
D. Performs Malicious contact (always supersedes obstruction).
E. does not attempt to avoid the fielder on a force play. Note: a legal slide is
considered an attempt to avoid.

 

[dgfred]

Catch the ball in front of the plate and use glove/ball/equipment/and leverage to make the tag. Sometimes the catcher can really punish the runner with a hard tag. Catching in front also prevents alot of injuries on tags and sometimes helps with short hops to home.

 

[Bubrox]

We had a play last night where the runner from 3rd decided not to slide and bowled the catcher over. Catcher had ball and was already waiting with ball. Girl could have slid or stopped and ran back. ( Runner was approx. 10 ft. from home when catcher had ball) Umpire should have ejected her for malicious contact. He only warned her. Later in the game same girl got hit in head with a batted ball bad hop. Karma's a B****!

 

[dgfred]

Haha... my 10U girls will sometimes just stop in their tracks. Don't go around, don't slide... just stop.

 

[Lenski]

This is my dd catching. My dd is initially set up in fair territory. The on deck batter is telling the runner to slide to the outside. The throw forces my dd into foul territory. She catches the ball before the runner gets to her. The runner does not slide "legally", rather she bowls into my dd. Now, I firmly believe the runner was attempting to slide to the outside but tried to change direction once she saw my dd with the ball and where the throw took her. The umpire let the play stand without penalty to either player. I know it's not quite the same situation as the OP's but that's why I asked if there was any video. We would truly have to see what happened in order to give an informed answer. It the runner went out of their way to make contact with the catcher than there could be malicious intent, but that is a bit different than a hard slide into a base.

 

[ScottyDont]

The video above looks perfectly legal (on both sides) to me. Catcher received the ball outside of the base path and made a hard legal tag. Runner was going to the plate with no "malicious contact" (is there such wording in any book?).

Glad to see your daughter kept the mask on!