catcher interference, was it the right call?

[Jr10234]

Count is 1-2, hitting team is down by one in the last inning. Third base coach motions his player to back up in the box, her back foot is outside the batters box when the pitch is thrown. Batter swings so late she hits the catchers mitt with the ball in the mitt. Catcher is called for interference (or obstruction), batter awarded first.

Catcher appeals, show Ump the players foot mark completely outside the box.

Age: high school varsity.

This catcher plays deep, this exact situation happens every year but this one seemed intentional to get a runner on base.

Is it always a call against the catcher if there's contact with the bat and mitt, or does the batter have to be in the box?

 

[Comp]

What you are describing is catchers obstruction, not interference. Without being there to actually see the timing of events it is hard to say if it was or not. But, based solely on your description of events, the umpire should not have allowed the pitch to be thrown if the batter was not completely within the batters box. Additionally, if the ball had actually reached the catchers glove and was already in the glove (assuming the catcher didnt reach way out in front to catch the ball) the batter no longer has the right to hit the ball. I dont see how it could be ruled as catchers obstruction.

 

[Umpireernie]

Agreed don't allow F1 to pitch if not in the box and no swing to obstruct if pitched ball is already caught by F2 prior to the "swing".

But let's change it up a bit. Batter sets up legally in very back of box. As pitch is released batter widens her stance by moving rear foot back and completely on the ground outside the batters box. Prior to F2 catching the pitched ball batter:

a.) swings and misses the ball but nicks F2's glove
b.) swings and tips the ball and also nicks F2's glove

 

[SCDad]

Happens more than you might think for a batter who swings late, and loops the bat deep.

Almost an automatic catchers obstruction call. Split hairs if you want about the foot, and exact timing of the swing. It is an argument which is seldom won.

We had a hitter like that. Rarely hit the ball. But got on base a bunch from this call. Best/only thing to do is to recognize this batter, and back the catcher up each time she comes to bat.

 

[tcannizzo]

Catcher appeals, show Ump the players foot mark completely outside the box.

Futile effort on the catcher.
Does the foot mark have a time stamp on it?
By itself, there is no way to know whether the foot was on the ground (out of the batter's box) before or after the pitch was thrown