Home Run ?

[3sDad]

Centerfielder runs into fence, stretches fence, snags ball, and falls over fence... (temp fence), ball is over fence when caught and player was in fence....Homerun or not?

 

[ElmoBlatch]

If she held on, I say it's an out.

 

[SoCalDad]

Should be a catch. Per ASA: 3. When a collapsible, portable fence is used and a defensive player is standing on the fence when the catch is made, it is a legal catch. A defensive player may climb a fence to make a legal catch; therefore a defensive player should also be able to stand on a fence that has fallen or is falling to the ground. As long as the defensive player has not stepped outside the playing area, the other side of fence, the catch is legal.

 

[Cannonball]

This should have been taken care of in the ground rules meeting at the plate. We had this happen to my dd during a recent tournament. Player actually displaced the fence to make the catch. DD was called out. I can recall a similar play years ago where player was awarded home run. Now you have something to get clarified before the first pitch the next time you play with a temp fence.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

Sounds like she actually caught the ball before she fell out of play and the fence never collapsed? OUT

 

[mudbug]

Should be a catch. Per ASA: 3. When a collapsible, portable fence is used and a defensive player is standing on the fence when the catch is made, it is a legal catch. A defensive player may climb a fence to make a legal catch; therefore a defensive player should also be able to stand on a fence that has fallen or is falling to the ground. As long as the defensive player has not stepped outside the playing area, the other side of fence, the catch is legal.

Yep. As long as she is standing on the field, or ON the fence, even if fence has fallen down, it is an out. This can technically put her several feet past where the fence was originally standing . That is the rule. Nothing to dispute.

 

[Cannonball]

Yep. As long as she is standing on the field, or ON the fence, even if fence has fallen down, it is an out. This can technically put her several feet past where the fence was originally standing . That is the rule. Nothing to dispute.

...and that is what happened with my dd. The fence was a pvc fence and so, pushed it over, stepped on it and then catch. To me, that just isn't fair. I know, "fair" doesn't really exist.

 

[FPump]

Yep. As long as she is standing on the field, or ON the fence, even if fence has fallen down, it is an out. This can technically put her several feet past where the fence was originally standing . That is the rule. Nothing to dispute.

Mud,
Just to expand on your reply to clarify a bit the "standing on the fence scenario".
This is the NCAA interpretation (yes even in college you find temp fences..esp. at DIII):

"When dealing with a collapsible fence, the vertical plane of the fence extending to the ground forms the dead-ball line. The fielder may be touching the fence or leaning on a falling fence and make a legal catch, so long as she has secure possession of the ball prior to falling to the ground on or over the fence. It is not a catch if she is standing on the fence as it is lying on the ground when she catches the ball."

 

[BretMan]

High school softball uses the same interpretation that NCAA uses, with respect to collapsed fences. If the fence is lying on the ground, contacting dead ball area, then it becomes part of the dead ball area. A fielder standing on dead ball area cannot make a valid catch.

But all sanctioning bodies do not interpret this the same way! For instance, the ASA interpretation is that if the collapsed fence is lying on the gound, it becomes an extension of live ball territory. A fielder standing on this fence can legally catch the ball.

Neither one of those rulings would really matter on the play in question. As I'm reading it, the fielder caught the ball as she was contacting the fence, then fell over the fence. Is that accurate?

If the fielder had both feet established in live ball area prior to catching the ball, then this is a valid catch for an out. If her momentum then carried her past the fence, and she subsequently contacted a dead ball area, the "catch and carry" rule would apply. The batter is out on the catch. The ball becomes dead when the fielder touches dead ball area. Any runners already on base are awarded one base from the last base touched when the fielder left the field of play (unless, of course, the catch was the third out).

 

[mudbug]

Mud,
Just to expand on your reply to clarify a bit the "standing on the fence scenario".
This is the NCAA interpretation (yes even in college you find temp fences..esp. at DIII):

"When dealing with a collapsible fence, the vertical plane of the fence extending to the ground forms the dead-ball line. The fielder may be touching the fence or leaning on a falling fence and make a legal catch, so long as she has secure possession of the ball prior to falling to the ground on or over the fence. It is not a catch if she is standing on the fence as it is lying on the ground when she catches the ball."

Sorry, assumed it was ASA, which most sanctions follow pretty close. I know NCAA and HS have some differences, but Im not familiar with all of them. Dont see many temp fences in HS unless its a tournament at a community park.