Batter plows first base don’t understand

Tough to get the whole picture in that video, but it looks to me like the fielder touched 1 to put the batter out before she got there and then was going to try to make a play at home but the batter was having none of it. Was there a safety base at 1? Batter definitely lowered shoulder, which in and of itself should be enough to warrant the ejection for malicious intent.

If I was the ump (and I am NOT an ump), she's ejected, coach is ejected (not sure if that part is automatic, but I'm going to assume the coach is going to argue and not let up), and her parents are ejected (because they are sure to be loud-mouthed yahoos who will be not stop when asked to quiet down...plus I felt this needed one more parenthetical).

I don't have the video up, going off memory - I think the fielder was several feet in front of the base (down the line towards HP), because the end of the play shows a runner scoring - so I don't _think_ 1B was ever touched.

I only viewed it on an iphone, but using the "slider" on the video player, I'd say I'm 90% certain that you can see the runner lower the shoulder and push out. Plus, she was running the whole way down to 1st about a foot or more inside the line, but given the 60' distance, maybe that's more common of an angle out of the batters box?

Tengauge said:

Batter and coach were ejected
Coach claimed its part of game

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I wasn't aware softball was played under MMA rules.

I agree with the ump's decision to toss player and coach.

IMO, and its very hard to tell from the quality of the video, it was a malicious play. The base runner has been taught to run inside the base line to attack the first baseman. I cant tell if the out was made prior to the contact but its irrelevant to the contact. She obviously hit her hard enough that she stayed down and the runner didn't pay any attention to her being down. So IMO, it was malicious.

I have told my better players, that understand the game, that they do need to make contact if the fielder is on the base and in the way. But I have never told a player to do anything like this. I'm talking about brushing a player, not plowing one. ( I know the rule states contact is not needed but more often than not, you dont get the call if you dont have contact. )

4 girl's dad said:

IMO, and its very hard to tell from the quality of the video, it was a malicious play. The base runner has been taught to run inside the base line to attack the first baseman. I cant tell if the out was made prior to the contact but its irrelevant to the contact. She obviously hit her hard enough that she stayed down and the runner didn't pay any attention to her being down. So IMO, it was malicious.

I have told my better players, that understand the game, that they do need to make contact if the fielder is on the base and in the way. But I have never told a player to do anything like this. I'm talking about brushing a player, not plowing one. ( I know the rule states contact is not needed but more often than not, you dont get the call if you dont have contact. )

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I've told mine it's not her job to go around a fielder, that if she's in the way it's ok if she makes contact, but no more than necessary and let's not put anybody in the hospital. I wonder why some kids are willing to plow down their opponents and some aren't. I can tell mine it's ok to make minimal contact all day but she's not going to do it. Maybe when she's older but right now she'd rather not get the base than risk hurting another kid. And I'd never tell her to make contact on purpose, only that if she does it's not her fault, if the fielder was in her way.

Did runner throw her left arm out to take a shot at 1st basemen? Hard to tell.

Why was coach ejected?

So did 1B touch the bag? If not, is she trying to make the tag? If she's trying to make the tag, I see this as sort of a different play and harder to tell whether it was malicious. The catcher is bracing for the throw, so I'm guessing she maybe did touch the bag and was going to go for the runner at home so malicious intent with the interference? I can't tell a lot in the video. BTW was the video shot using a 1970's 8mm?

She looks like she is going for the tag - both hands in front, with the ball in the glove.

Looking at it some more runner should have been tossed, good call by ump.

Still not sure why coach was tossed.

Better have not been a safty base, she would become unwelcome.

i love both sides of a story. all i can do is watch the video and piece it together.

Let me start by saying this so my words don't get changed, IF it was intentional then yes, it is a shame and coach and anyone who intentionally does this will have their day.... somewhere.

Now, lets go to the tape. First off, TO ME, this is not just a simple grounder to first. A lot is going on. there is a runner on 3rd. What do I see?

Regarding the fielder: I see a fielder who fields the ball IN FRONT of 1B (cant even see the bag in video). fielder at first heads straight for line (or bag) at first, but then comes straight towards home plate once she gets to the line (probably remembering what she has been taught, come up the line and tag the runner when there is a runner on 3rd!!) .... at this stage the 1B left foot is clearly on line (stop the frame at :12) and now she is heading towards home plate (in the opposite direction the runner is running).

Regarding the runner: I see a runner who is inside the baseline all the way up to :11. Now we are at the point of contact at :12. What do I see? I see a runner who has now actually MOVED OUT OF THE WAY OF THE 1B, almost as if to avoid collision. Both feet are now in FOUL territory. That is not the action of someone looking to plow through someone, in my opinion.

Summary: Sure looks to me like the runner actually moved to the right BEFORE the collision. That is the opposite of what a runner who is intending to plow someone would do! Also looks to me like 1B left leg and Runner Left leg are really what collided. No one was plowed here. All runners safe in my opinion (assuming she got to 1B).

Ya, part of the game. Sure it's not touted as a physical game but there will be countless hard tags coming up the 1B line with a runner on 3rd.