Interference Call Question

[DOG310]

Runner on first, Batter hits grounder to 2B. As 2B is fielding runner collides with 2B. As 2B continues the motion of throwing to first, umpire announces "Dead ball, interference, runner's out". He awards batter/runner first base even though ball reached first base well ahead of runner. Defense coach questions call and asks if batter should return to batter's box, but is told by both HP and Base ump that call stands since no outs could be made after "dead ball" call.

Understand dead ball, but how does batter run have opportunity to continue to first while defense not allowed to make play on her?

Was this the correct call? Was the umpire correct in his initial call? If not, what should have happened?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Comp]

Correct call. Ball is dead immediately, runner who committed interference is out any other runners on base returned to last base occupied batter/runner awarded 1st base.j

 

[BretMan]

Not only is it the correct call, but it sounds as if the umpire signalled and announced it perfectly by-the-book, exactly as we're trained to do it. Good for him!

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Not to hijack thread but here is a little different scenario we had recently:

Batter/baserunner hits ground ball to SS. The SS's throw to 1B is off line and high, pulling the first baseman down the line. Baserunner collides with first baseman, both go down. Ball sails to the fence in foul territory. Baserunner gets up and proceeds to 2B. First baseman is on the ground in lots of pain. PU immediately calls time so we can attend to her (shaken up but is not injured).

Result of the play, baserunner is awarded 2B. No obstruction or interference is called. Correct call?

 

[MTR]

Not to hijack thread but here is a little different scenario we had recently:

Batter/baserunner hits ground ball to SS. The SS's throw to 1B is off line and high, pulling the first baseman down the line. Baserunner collides with first baseman, both go down. Ball sails to the fence in foul territory. Baserunner gets up and proceeds to 2B. First baseman is on the ground in lots of pain. PU immediately calls time so we can attend to her (shaken up but is not injured).

Result of the play, baserunner is awarded 2B. No obstruction or interference is called. Correct call?

Not for me. OBS is definite, and I would have to see the play to determine whether I would have killed the play or not. I will say that unless a defender, probably RF had backed up the play and had the ball or was in the immediate vicinity, I may have awarded the R more than just 2B.

 

[Comp]

F3 did not have posession of the ball and hindered the runner. Obstruction should have been called, and it may very well have been just no one noticed the umpires arm out with all the other action going on. In the play you have presented what occured would be considered normal playing action and it was a live ball. Even if obstruction had been indicated, it is a delayed dead ball and the ball would only be called dead if the runner who was protected was put out. If in the umpires judgement a player is injured badly enough that they need immediate assistance, they may call an immediate dead ball killing all action. They can then place the runner or runners where they feel they would have advanced had the umpire not killed the play.

Based on your description of the play and without seeing what the umpires did, obstruction may or may not have been called. But, the plate ump killed the play because of the injury and either left or placed the batter/runner at 2nd base.

 

[DOG310]

Thanks for the info. Just seemed a bit weird awarding the base to a runner that would have been an easy out. But, they did get the lead runner out because of the interference call.
thanks again

 

[Sweet Lou]

On first play did 2B still have a change to make out on runner going to 2nd and then turn DP at 1st? If so maybe correct call would have be delayed obstruction? Is there a rule like that in softball, that is let the play go on but worst case scenario for the defense is what the actual call turned out to be. Even if the runner collides with fielder, if they can still make play on runner and then atempt another out I think they shoudl have that opportunity but I'm not an ump and could be dead wrong.

Without seeing the 2nd play I'm not sure how interference or obstruction could be called that play. Sounds like a wild a throw that the 1B was trying to snag in the line of the baserunner creating incidental contact. Ump may have called dead ball because of injured player and awarded 2B on the throwing error. Doesn't sound unreasonable to me. But again without seeing the play hard to tell from the description in the right call was made or not.

 

[Comp]

On first play did 2B still have a change to make out on runner going to 2nd and then turn DP at 1st? If so maybe correct call would have be delayed obstruction? Is there a rule like that in softball, that is let the play go on but worst case scenario for the defense is what the actual call turned out to be. Even if the runner collides with fielder, if they can still make play on runner and then atempt another out I think they shoudl have that opportunity but I'm not an ump and could be dead wrong

.

Interference is an immediate dead ball. All action stops at the moment of interference so there is no way the defense can continue to try and get another runner out. There are only a couple of ways more than 1 out can be called on interference, one being the umpires judgement the interference was an attempt to break up a double play. In that case, the 2nd runner can also be called out. The other interference call that can get 2 outs I believe may be only ASA, (would have to double check the other rule sets), is interference with a routine pop fly, fair or foul. If the ball could be caught with normal effort and the defensive player is interfered with, both the runner that committed the interference is out, and the batter is out.

Without seeing the 2nd play I'm not sure how interference or obstruction could be called that play. Sounds like a wild a throw that the 1B was trying to snag in the line of the baserunner creating incidental contact. Ump may have called dead ball because of injured player and awarded 2B on the throwing error. Doesn't sound unreasonable to me. But again without seeing the play hard to tell from the description in the right call was made or not.

F3 was not in posession of the ball and hindred the batter/runners progress. Textbook obstruction, defensive players not in posession of the ball may not hinder offensive runners.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

.F3 was not in posession of the ball and hindred the batter/runners progress. Textbook obstruction, defensive players not in posession of the ball may not hinder offensive runners.

For the second play, I think Comp and MTR are probably correct. The throw was offline and F3 went off the base which put her in the path of the batter/baserunner causing the collison. The baserunner got up and was half way to 2B when PU called time so we could attend to F3. I assume that PU thought baserunner would not have made it to 3B.

The interesting thing is that had F3 not been injured after the collison, I don't know if PU would have called time and probably would have let the play continue because he didn't call time until baserunner got up and continued half way to 2B, when he noticed F3 was not getting up.