Obstruction at 1B on Throw from Infield

[Sting Ray]

8U, ASA rules,

Ground ball hit to 3B, throw takes 1B off the bag down the line 1 step, she catches and tags the girl before she reaches the base (nearly simultaneous), Ump calls her out, and the batter enters dugout. Opposing coach argues call, ump reverses it, says it was obstruction and that she has to have the ball to block the base and puts the runner back on 1B. I argue that she was making a play on the ball, and the ball and runner got there at the same time. Also argue that the girl entered the dug out and should be out. I lost the arguments, we won the game and it was the only hit my daughter gave up the entire game. Not a huge deal but could have been adn I want to know for next time. Can you please provide a reference to the the exact rule. Thanks!

 

[Crabby_Bob]

8U, ASA rules,

Ground ball hit to 3B, throw takes 1B off the bag down the line 1 step, she catches and tags the girl before she reaches the base (nearly simultaneous), Ump calls her out, and the batter enters dugout. Opposing coach argues call, ump reverses it, says it was obstruction and that she has to have the ball to block the base and puts the runner back on 1B. I argue that she was making a play on the ball, and the ball and runner got there at the same time. Also argue that the girl entered the dug out and should be out. I lost the arguments, we won the game and it was the only hit my daughter gave up the entire game. Not a huge deal but could have been adn I want to know for next time. Can you please provide a reference to the the exact rule. Thanks!

This is 8U. Why are you keeping score? Why are you arguing?

 

[Sting Ray]

Thanks for not contributing, it's much appreciated. You're screen name serves you well. It doesn't matter what age, just want to know the rule so I can get edjumacated. Thanks again, now go away.

 

[Ajaywill]

You have to have two things happen to have obstruction:

1. Fielder does not have possession of the ball or is not in the act of fielding a batted ball and
2. Runner is hindered from running the bases

Both of these have to occur to have obstruction. As with most questions about these types of plays, it comes down to HTBT (had to be there) to see the play to have an opinion of right call or wrong call.

Obstruction is addressed in the ASA rule 1 - Obstruction and 8-5-B.

 

[chinamigarden]

Just mark it up as an error to who ever made the throw and your dd's 8u no-no is intact.

 

[Comp]

Without seeing the play have no idea if the batter/runner was impeded or not. F3 being in the base path is not necessarily obstruction, there has to actually be some hinderance of the runner before it is obstruction.

As for the argument of the batter/runner entering the dugout and should be out, the umpire is who sent her there after she was called out. That argument is baseless since she did not go there on her own and the umpire can correct any action as a result of a delayed or reversed call.

 

[slingnit]

The runner has to take the running lane and tag the orange bag, correct? If not the runner could be called out for obstruction.

 

[Comp]

The runner has to take the running lane and tag the orange bag, correct? If not the runner could be called out for obstruction.

The batter/runner is never "required" to be in the running lane. The running lane simply protects the batter/runner from being called for interference if they are hit with a thrown ball and interfere with F3's ability to catch the ball.

 

[Momo'sDad]

This is 8U. Why are you keeping score? Why are you arguing?

ASA is now offering Championship Play (not a misprint) in 8u. I think the goal is to get the girls to quit softball at earlier ages so that they will move on to lacrosse by 5th grade.

To the OP, the player only entered the dugout because the umpire called her out. That's different from abandoning her base. So, on an overturned call, the player is allowed to return to the base from her team area.

As for a missed call potentially being a "huge deal" in 8u, no. Just no.

 

[Sting Ray]

ASA is now offering Championship Play (not a misprint) in 8u. I think the goal is to get the girls to quit softball at earlier ages so that they will move on to lacrosse by 5th grade.
To the OP, the player only entered the dugout because the umpire called her out. That's different from abandoning her base. So, on an overturned call, the player is allowed to return to the base from her team area.

As for a missed call potentially being a "huge deal" in 8u, no. Just no.

Either that or the goal is to build a foundation at an early age that allows the girls to have an everlasting love and desire to play softball. All at the same time enabling them to learn "hard work pays off" not just in softball but in life. "IF" YOU want something, YOU have to work for it, but YOU have to want something FIRST.