Help with a couple calls

Batter hits a line drive to left center. No play at first. Batter runs down baseline and tries to step on the base but the 1st baseman is blocking the base. Kind of gives a little hip bump which knocks the runner towards the first base coach and he stumbles and falls to avaid any contact with the runner. Runner eventually regains her footing and runs towards 2nd getting tagged as she slides into the bag. Call is out. Very close play. Coaches appeal. And win - with the call being obstruction on the first baseman - BUT - they make the runner return to 1st. Correct? Not entirely sure what rule set as it is our little fall ball league.

The day before these same umps called our batter back to second after a great hit. The ball went almost to the far LF fence. It was fielded and WAY over thrown. Ball rolled into right field. RF went to throw the ball and "lost her grip" and the ball went over the temp fence into dead ball territory. Our runner was rounding 3rd as this happened. Ump called runner back to 2nd. Guess I'm confused on this one too as it almost looked like the girl purposely dropped the ball over the temp fence.

Bad call... obstruction is a free play to the next base if the runner keeps going...your runner should have been on second. Other play if your runner had reached third at the time the ball went out of play she should have at least been on third. If she had truely already rounded and was on her way home probably should have scored the run but sometimes there are park rules in rec league...either way ground rule double wouldn't have applied once the ball had initially been fielded... craziness

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Not sure what exactly you mean by a free play to second. Obstruction is not an automatic one base award. If the umpires ruled obstruction, the runner cannot be put out between the 2 bases where obstructed. If the runner is put out between those 2 bases, before reaching the base they would have or simply does not advance to the base they would have because of the obstruction the umpire is to award the base or bases the runner would have reached at the conclusion of the play.

As for the throw out of play, the rule is 2 bases from the runners position at the time the throw left the fielders hand.

Comp said:

Not sure what exactly you mean by a free play to second. Obstruction is not an automatic one base award. If the umpires ruled obstruction, the runner cannot be put out between the 2 bases where obstructed. If the runner is put out between those 2 bases, before reaching the base they would have or simply does not advance to the base they would have because of the obstruction the umpire is to award the base or bases the runner would have reached at the conclusion of the play.

As for the throw out of play, the rule is 2 bases from the runners position at the time the throw left the fielders hand.

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Bad choice of wording on my part. Your explanation is what I was trying to say and much more clear

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So, for my clarity...
If she was put out sliding into second and the obstruction occurred coming into first, and not on the way to second, then the runner should now be on first or second?

chardrok said:

So, for my clarity...
If she was put out sliding into second and the obstruction occurred coming into first, and not on the way to second, then the runner should now be on first or second?

Click to expand...

Neither - she should be in the dugout.

Let's see if I can help....

From the OP description, it sounds as if the obstruction (hip bump) occurred right at first base...if this is the case, the runner cannot be put out between first and second base (absent one of the exceptions in the rule)
The OP states that the runner was tagged out sliding into second base.

It is up to the judgement of the umpire at this point where to place the runner. If the umpire judges that the runner would not have made it to second base without the obstruction, s/he may place the runner at first base. If the umpire judges that the runner would have made it to second without the obstruction, s/he may place the runner at second base.

From the description of the play, it seems as if the runner should be placed at second base. The play at second was very close, if the runner had not been knocked down at first base, it seems she would have made second base easily.

Most obstruction/interference scenarios are HTBT (Had to Be There) to see the play. The main question on this play is where the obstruction occurred....however, even if the obstruction occurred before first base, the runner is protected to the base the umpire judges she would have reached without the obstruction. Again, as described, that could easily be second base in this play.