Interference call in the Auburn vs. UGA game

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Did anyone else see the interference call at home plate in the Auburn vs. UGA game? Thoughts?
[video]https://player.vimeo.com/video/211134782[/video]
 
May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
the call is "obstruction" not "interference", correct?

the letter of the rules state the defender cannot block access to the plate unless in possession of the ball.

the commentator (Michelle Smith?) remarks that the "ball was on its way", but that isnt a consideration for obstruction.

the only criteria here is did the catcher block access to the plate, or not.
Umpire ruled she did...
 
Feb 3, 2017
5
1
Sure doesn't look like she blocked access to the plate to me. Incorrect call and bad slide. Slide away from tag and she may have legitimantly been safe.
 
Mar 28, 2016
164
18
I've seen a lot worse that weren't called. I think this needs to be called more often, but I think this one was extremely marginal at best.
 
Mar 13, 2010
960
0
Columbus, Ohio
the call is "obstruction" not "interference", correct?

Yes, it is obstruction.

the letter of the rules state the defender cannot block access to the plate unless in possession of the ball.

Not correct for NCAA softball. While true for most amateur codes, NCAA does allow a fielder without the ball to block the base, so long as the fielder is about to receive the throw.

the commentator (Michelle Smith?) remarks that the "ball was on its way", but that isnt a consideration for obstruction.

"On its way" is not the requirement of the rule. The fielder must be "about to receive" which means that the ball is about to be caught, not just merely in-flight and on the way.

So, yes, there is a little bit more to it than that! Personally, considering the rule set in effect, this didn't seem to me to be obstruction.
 
Mar 13, 2010
960
0
Columbus, Ohio
Sure doesn't look like she blocked access to the plate to me. Incorrect call and bad slide. Slide away from tag and she may have legitimantly been safe.

The fielder doesn't get to determine which part of the plate the runner should try for. Leaving a tiny sliver of it unblocked, if the runner executes some certain kind of slide to some particular portion of the plate doesn't excuse a potential obstruction call.

The runner is entitled to an unobstructed path to any part of the base she wants to try for.
 
Feb 3, 2017
5
1
The fielder doesn't get to determine which part of the plate the runner should try for. Leaving a tiny sliver of it unblocked, if the runner executes some certain kind of slide to some particular portion of the plate doesn't excuse a potential obstruction call.

The runner is entitled to an unobstructed path to any part of the base she wants to try for.
I agree that the runner is entitled unobstructed access to the plate...unless the catcher has the ball (or is "about to receive" it) as was the case here. Still, the runner should have tried to avoid the tag by sliding to the outside of the plate. That is smarter base running.
 
May 20, 2015
1,095
113
per NCAA rules, that one looked like a good play to me.....certainly looked about to receive at the time when the runner attempted to access the plate



same game - 1st pitch to Wallace in the 6th (i think) dead center of the shoulderblades.....when she was a double short of the cycle...anyone else think that one didn't "get away"?
 
Oct 2, 2015
615
18
IMO, good call. And yes I'm an Auburn fan.
How many injuries have been caused by a "gray area" call/interpretation such as this? It should be a black and white call.

IMO, either call interference/obstruction every time on this situation, to reduce these types of plays where major injuries can occur due to collisions.

Or open it up wide open like in ML baseball, and turn it into "The Pete Rose highlight reel" and turn the blocking catchers into bowling pins. By allowing the runner to get to the home plate by "whatever means necessary" when it is "blocked/obstructed" by the catcher.

How many times have you seen a catcher block/obstruct a plate, like in this game, where the runner comes sliding in to maneuver around them to touch the blocked plate, and then the catcher lays down a punch tag and drives the runner into the ground? While the runners leg is twisted like silly putty around the braced catcher's legs.
It seems a little one sided to me... and yes, one of my DDs catches.
JMO
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,477
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top