What if a runner is injured by a defensive player between bases & can't continue?

[robinh]

An incident in a slowpitch tournament this weekend brought this up, so I don't know if rules are different. Hopefully someone with more knowledge of slow pitch rules can answer that. (My dd normally plays fast pitch, but got invited to play in an adult slow pitch coed tourney) One of her teammates was running from second to third when the SS received a cutoff from centerfield and turned and threw hard to third, the ball hit her in the head (no helmet) then ricocheted off and hit the 3rd base coach in the forehead. It was still traveling fast enough to split the 3rd base coaches head open. (It was clearly an accident) She fell down about five feet short of third and was motionless on the ground (she wasn't sure later if she lost consciousness or not. The third baseman retrieved the ball but refused to tag her out. the umpire called time after he realized the third baseman wasn't going to make a play. She eventually was able to get up and touch third, then was replaced by a pinch runner while she was taken to the hospital.

Obviously her health is the most important issue (she had an MRI and was diagnosed with a mild concussion and eventually came back the the complex to watch the rest of the tournament.) But it got me to wondering, are there any pertinent rules that apply to this situation. (the umpire seemed like he really didn't know what to do.)

 

[Sweet Lou]

She's at risk of being put out. 3B did sportsman like thing to not tag.

 

[robinh]

Thanks, that's what I thought, but couldn't find a specific rule on it. I knew that was the case if she had pulled a muscle or something, wasn't sure if it was different if the other team caused the injury. On a side note, I made my daughter wear her batting helmet after that (fortunately it was still in her gear bag.) She wasn't happy to be the only one wearing a helmet, but after I realized just how much force a ball thrown by an athletic 20 something year old guy has, it's not worth the risk.

 

[tcannizzo]

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! If it appears that immediate medical attention is needed, as in this case, umpire kills the play and awards bases that would have been reached. ASA 10.4.G

 

[quincy]

Kind of backwards to this but the other day in a close game the opposing Team’s SS was hit in the face catching a relay throw. As soon as our coach saw she was hurt, she stopped all the runners. Like your game the umpires waited for the play to stop before calling time out to attend to the player.

Have I mentioned I like DD’s coaches?

 

[robinh]

Ok, that's more like what it felt like the rule should be just from a common sense/ safety standpoint. the umpire's hesitation to call time when she was on the ground motionless definitely put me off. Even though it was less than a minute. all medical attention and was left up to the team (I gave her a quick concussion check, and my wife took her to the hospital) but maybe that is typical with adult tournaments. I know at least in some cases travel fast pitch tournaments we've been to have had an emt or nurse on hands for situations like this, but maybe that's not always the case either.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! If it appears that immediate medical attention is needed, as in this case, umpire kills the play and awards bases that would have been reached. ASA 10.4.G

How is ''immediate medical attention'' defined?

In a recent tournament, I saw a girl drilled in the back on a throw, and she was rolling on the ground in pain while off the base. Ball got away enough that she was able to get back on base in time. But if not, could she have been out? I guess it's a judgment call, and the player must need to be significantly hurt or else it's easy to fake something.

 

[Sweet Lou]

After looking at the rule in question it appears to be at the discretion of the umpire to stop play or not.

 

[MTR]

An incident in a slowpitch tournament this weekend brought this up, so I don't know if rules are different. Hopefully someone with more knowledge of slow pitch rules can answer that. (My dd normally plays fast pitch, but got invited to play in an adult slow pitch coed tourney)

There are no rule differences involving running in this case.

One of her teammates was running from second to third when the SS received a cutoff from centerfield and turned and threw hard to third, the ball hit her in the head (no helmet) then ricocheted off and hit the 3rd base coach in the forehead. It was still traveling fast enough to split the 3rd base coaches head open. (It was clearly an accident) She fell down about five feet short of third and was motionless on the ground (she wasn't sure later if she lost consciousness or not. The third baseman retrieved the ball but refused to tag her out. the umpire called time after he realized the third baseman wasn't going to make a play. She eventually was able to get up and touch third, then was replaced by a pinch runner while she was taken to the hospital.

Obviously her health is the most important issue (she had an MRI and was diagnosed with a mild concussion and eventually came back the the complex to watch the rest of the tournament.) But it got me to wondering, are there any pertinent rules that apply to this situation. (the umpire seemed like he really didn't know what to do.)

Speaking ASA

The umpire has the authority to kill the play if s/he believes the injured player may need immediate medical attention. This has not always been the rule and some hesitate to kill the play immediate. With a hit to the head that took her down, it would seem to be a no-brainer, but the umpire may still have other things drawing her/his immediate attention.

Some also hesitate because we have (and I have) witnessed players feigning injury to get the ball killed only to pop right up and go to the base. And coaches have been known to run onto the field during a live ball for an obviously non-life threatening injury (twisted knee, ankle, etc).

Once the umpire kills the play, s/he shall then award the bases the umpire believed the runner would have attained had the injury not occurred. Please note that if it is obvious the runner was about to be retired regardless of the injury, that may end up the result of the play.

 

[tcannizzo]

Guidance is all we get, nothing hard and fast or black and white.
Loss of consciousness, is one of the obvious signs, compound fractures, head/neck/back injuries, etc.

There is a difference between "being hurt bad" versus "it just hurts bad".
Unfortunately when a young girl twists a knee and is screaming in pain, does not necessarily constitute requiring immediate medical attention.