A Question about Offensive Interference

[RetiredCoach]

In a tournament this weekend there were two outs, runner on third, with the other team's lead-off hitter at bat. A short pop fly was hit just foul about half-way down the third base line. The third baseman went to field it but the runner, who was moving down the line, got in the way. Interference was called on the runner, it was the third out, and the inning ended. The next inning the lead-off hitter was again at bat. I argued that, in essence, she had flown out and should not be at bat. HOwever, the umpire ruled that the runner was out and that the lead-off hitter could bat. Was this the correct call?

 

[texas4life]

If interference was called and the catch was not made or if the call was made before the catch then this is a legit call by the ump.

 

[RetiredCoach]

If interference was called and the catch was not made or if the call was made before the catch then this is a legit call by the ump.

Thanks for the clarification! I am embarrassed now. I was wrong!

 

[MTR]

If interference was called and the catch was not made or if the call was made before the catch then this is a legit call by the ump.

Caught or not is irrelevant. You cannot have a catch if INT occurred while the ball is in the air.

 

[CPEM]

Ok, I'm confused. So was the umpire in the OP correct? Since this is a batted ball that resulted in the 3rd out of the inning, I would think that the batter has completed her turn at-bat and the batter listed 2nd in the lineup should be the next batter the next time the team comes up to bat.

Specifically, I'm reading ASA Rule 8, Section 7, Sub-section J, NOTE and EXCEPTION:

THE RUNNER IS OUT when a runner interferes with a fielder attempting to field a batted fair ball or a foul flyball.
NOTE: When runners are called out for interference, the batter-runner is awarded first base.
EXCEPTION: If the inteference prevents the fielder from catching a routine fly ball, fair or foul, with ordinary effort, the batter is also out.​

So, with less than 2 outs, this batter isn't continuing her at-bat. She's either placed on first base, or also called out. I don't see an exception for it being the 3rd out of the inning.

Another cause for confusion is R/S 33-A-1-d:

If interference occurs by the runner on a foul fly ball not caught but, in the umpire's judgment, could have been caught with ordinary effort had interference not occurred, the runner is out and the batter is also out. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the foul fly ball could not have been caught with ordinary effort, a strike is called, the ball is dead, and the batter remains at bat.​

Is this the exception that allows the batter to be the 1st batter in the next inning?

 

[Momo'sDad]

Once the INT is called, it's a dead ball, the runner is out, and since it's the 3rd out, the inning is over. The batter at the plate did not complete her at-bat, so she would lead off the next inning.

 

[MTR]

Once the INT is called, it's a dead ball, the runner is out, and since it's the 3rd out, the inning is over. The batter at the plate did not complete her at-bat, so she would lead off the next inning.

If the batter did no complete her turn at bat, how could their be an INT call?

 

[CJ D]

You're the umpire! You tell us! Lol

 

[Umpire]

This goes to show just how few people keep score and keep score correctly. Believe it or not, knowing how to keep score could answer a lot of the questions that people ask. In essence, if you rule R3 out for interference and don't have B4 come to bat again the next inning, what are you going to do with that hole in the line-up? You can't have an empty box.

There are times where interference can end an inning but the defense gets to option to choose who is out. But even in those cases, all "box" are complete in the score book.

 

[RetiredCoach]

This goes to show just how few people keep score and keep score correctly. Believe it or not, knowing how to keep score could answer a lot of the questions that people ask. In essence, if you rule R3 out for interference and don't have B4 come to bat again the next inning, what are you going to do with that hole in the line-up? You can't have an empty box.

There are times where interference can end an inning but the defense gets to option to choose who is out. But even in those cases, all "box" are complete in the score book.

Does this mean that we could have selected the batter to have been out rather than the base runner?