Batter running to first on ball 3, runners 1st and 2nd. Interference in NFHS?

[Dabears17]

This situation came up in another thread as occurring more frequently lately. It happened in a recent HS game of my DD's. The wrinkle in her game was one of our parents heard the batter admit when the umpire called her back to the batter's box that she knew it had only been ball 3.

• A growing trend that I have seen both in TB and HS involves runners on 1st and 2nd. The hitter has a 2-1 count. If the pitcher throws ball 3, the hitter tosses her bat jogs to 1st, and the runners on 1st and 2nd clap and jog to the next base. I have now seen this done 4 times in games and the defense has been fooled each time. I hope that this is not a growing trend.

What is the call? My first thought was it could be called interference on the batter, but it could be considered the same as dropped third strike, less than 2 outs, runner on 1st, and batter runs to first--- defense should know the count.

If there is no penalty, should the rule be changed to delayed dead ball, runners return to original bases if defense doesn't react and get an out, strike on batter?

 

[Dabears17]

@marriard said this in another recent thread:

"Not my job as the official; I am not a commentator or stopping a what is still a live ball so I am not killing the play or effecting it. If the offense throws down or something, that is their fault - it up to the players to know the count. If they don't know or are unsure, I am always happy to share if asked.

However if the offensive team is clearly doing this intentionally (either by reputation or repetition) I will happily eject the player and the coach. We had a HS coach doing that here - but not for long. It got around quick and it was shut down quickly."

 

[Hawk_]

It's the same thing as runner on first and second, dropped strike three and the batter running to first and the other girls going. The batter is out but confusion causes the catcher to throw to first a lot. Fair play know the situation.

 

[Dabears17]

It's the same thing as runner on first and second, dropped strike three and the batter running to first and the other girls going. The batter is out but confusion causes the catcher to throw to first a lot. Fair play know the situation.

Don't disagree. Our team figured out what was going on and our pitcher threw to 3rd, but the runner from 2nd was safe by 2 steps. The batter walked three pitches later and we wound up winning 7-5.

A friend who is an umpire said he would of called an out on interference if he had heard the batter acknowledge she knew it was ball 3. The coaches from the league that feeds this HS have a reputation for pushing the limits of the rules. I willn't go into details, but in the game after ours, the same team did something that I would of ejected the player over, but the umpire didn't.

 

[Strike2]

It's the same thing as runner on first and second, dropped strike three and the batter running to first and the other girls going. The batter is out but confusion causes the catcher to throw to first a lot. Fair play know the situation.

Unless the batter was taking off on dropped strike 2 to trick the catcher into throwing to 1B, not really. With two outs, D3K is on regardless of whether 1B is occupied. Especially, in younger age groups, I encouraged the batter to run anytime the ball was dropped on a third strike. With runners on and less than two outs, there's a play at 2nd or maybe 3rd in that situation...assuming the catcher can get to the dropped ball quickly. It really is on the catcher to know the rule and where they are going with the ball.

 

[FB Fool]

My DD travel ball team has this play, called by the coach. has worked every tournament and never been called for interference. They have a couple other trick plays too.

DaBears17 are you playing in the North Carolina area? Just wondering if its our coach?

 

[tim_s]

My DD travel ball team has this play, called by the coach. has worked every tournament and never been called for interference. They have a couple other trick plays too.

DaBears17 are you playing in the North Carolina area? Just wondering if its our coach?

sounds like a coach i wouldn't want DD to play for

 

[flash277]

As an umpire I’d let it go once, maybe twice with a warning, but if it happened a third time, I’d throw the player and coach out for unsportsmanlike conduct

 

[FB Fool]

@tim_s he's actually a really good coach sometimes just to smart for his own good. If the ump ruled said play was illegal he wouldn't agrue but he's just using the rules to his advantage. no one has challenged the play. to me its on the players to know the count.

 

[tim_s]

@tim_s he's actually a really good coach sometimes just to smart for his own good. If the ump ruled said play was illegal he wouldn't agrue but he's just using the rules to his advantage. no one has challenged the play. to me its on the players to know the count.

the batter has no right to become a batter runner - it is an attempt to deceive the defense that is being taught by the coach

not a coach i want to be associated with, period