Interesting Scenario

[seeballhitball]

Hadn't seen this before so I was curious at what the ruling should be.

Runner on 1st, no outs. 1st Basemen playing in front of baseline. Runner takes lead on pitch and starts to run on contact. Soft liner, perfectly placed heading towards 3/4 hole but just over baseline.1st Baseman moves towards 3/4 hole to catch ball that is going over her head. The runner who has advanced 1/3 of way towards 2nd, realizes that ball might get caught and starts to run back towards 1st base and collides with 1st Baseman who is starting to move to try to catch the ball but because she was in front of baseline has to run back across baseline (and back towards 3/4 hole). Ruling was interference on fielder and the runner who was trying to get back to 1st is awarded 2nd.

I don't believe I had ever seen an interference call while a player was heading back to the original base as a fielder was attempting to make a play. Strange. Something new every day.


Also, just curious, if the soft liner had hit the runner, after the ball had gone by the 1st baseman (who was in front of the baseline defensively), would this called a dead ball with runner out for being hit or just a live ball since a defender (1st base) had an opportunity to field?

Thanks

 

[Comp]

Based on outcome of play the ruling was obstruction not interference. Without seeing play have no idea if ruling was correct or not. Was f4 also attempting to field the ball? Many variables that could affect what the ruling should be.

 

[seeballhitball]

Thanks. Sorry. Yes, Obstruction. Ha that is why I don't umpire. Obstruction on the fielder was called. f4 did move to her left and in to field the ball and threw to 2nd for the force out while the runner was attempting to return to 1st.

 

[quincy]

Not sure if applies to this senerio but only 1 fielder is protected. Easier example of this would be a ground ball between SS and 3rd. If Umpire's opinion 3rd has best chance fielding ball she is protected from obstruction, SS is not even though she could make the play too.

 

[Comp]

Based on your additional information of F4 also moving to the ball, I would say the umpire judged F4 to have the best chance of fielding the ball, therefore F3 would be guilty of obstructing the runner.

 

[MTR]

Thanks. Sorry. Yes, Obstruction. Ha that is why I don't umpire. Obstruction on the fielder was called. f4 did move to her left and in to field the ball and threw to 2nd for the force out while the runner was attempting to return to 1st.

For an OBS call, the umpire must have determined that F3 did not have a play on the ball. It also means that F4's actions were irrelevant to the OBS call. R1 would have been protected between 1st & 2nd base. On the OBS, R1 would have most likely been awarded 1B since she was obstructed returning to that base. However, since the BR was not retired, R1 would have been forced to advance to 2nd base on the award.