Obstruction?

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Aug 1, 2019
198
43
South Carolina
Where I am having a problem with Comp’s interpretation...
It's not Comp's interpretation. It's the official interpretation that is supported by the rules and case plays in NFHS and USA. FWIW, the NCAA has the same interpretation.
...is in saying the runner is “still between the two bases”. I don’t consider her to ”still be between the two bases” when she has safely returned to third base and stopped. She is on third base. (Note: “still” is not in the rule either way.)
Now you're using your interpretation of the Exception to the between-bases obstruction rule, and it conflicts with what is written in that Exception. Again, here is what it says in NFHS:
1. When an obstructed runner, after the obstruction, safely obtains or returns to the base she would have been awarded, in the umpire's judgment, had there been no obstruction and there is a subsequent play on a different runner, the obstructed runner is no longer protected between the bases where she was obstructed and may be put out.
USA's Exception is practically the same:
A. When an obstructed runner, after the obstruction, safely obtains the base they would have been awarded, in the umpire's judgment, had there been no obstruction and there is a subsequent play on a different runner. ... EFFECT A-C: The obstructed runner is no longer protected between the bases where obstructed and may be put out.
So when this runner returns to third base safely and stops, she has met the first part of this Exception that says, "When an obstructed runner, after the obstruction, safely obtains or returns to the base she would have been awarded." Your statement that you don't consider her to "still be between the two bases" is immaterial. She has stopped on third safely, meeting the first part of the Exception.

Now, how does she lose that protection that is afforded to her? The Exception clearly tells us. It's when the defense makes "a subsequent play on a different runner." Without that subsequent play on a different runner, she maintains her protection. It doesn't go away when they make a subsequent play on her after she leaves third base and tries for home. She can leave that base all she wants and try for home, and if she doesn't make it, she goes back to third. You may not like that, but that's exactly the correct interpretation.

BTW, I screwed up this call in an NCAA game a couple of years ago, and my assignor who watched the streamed coverage of the game told me later. Runners at first and third bases, and the batter hit a single to right. R3 scored, R1 tried to advance to third, and F9's throw was in the dirt to the home plate side of third. R1 slid in safely as F5 dove to her right to field the throw, but it got by her and went toward the fence. R1 got up and tripped over F5 as she thought about advancing to home. But the throw was backed up by F1, so R1, back on the ground between third and home after tripping on F5, scrambled back to the bag safely.

I was U3 and made the obstruction call when F1 tripped on F5. I watched as F1 fielded the loose ball, and then headed back toward the circle. By then, the BR was safely at second base on the errant throw. As F1 neared the circle, the third base coach told her runner to take off for home. The runner came off the base a few steps to home, then looked at her coach as if wondering why he was sending her. F1 turned and threw the ball to F5, who tagged the runner out. I made the out call. The coach argued that the runner was protected, and I said she was until the defense made a subsequent play on her. He said I was wrong and to ask my partners. I did, and we said the out stood. He wasn't happy, but he never protested.

He should have. Afterward, my assignor told me the call was incorrect, and that I should have returned her back to third since the defense never made a subsequent play on the other runner at second base. So I learned my lesson.
 
Last edited:
Oct 24, 2010
308
28
Ya, NCAA is the same.

FYI... [My emphasis]
9.5.7 An obstructed runner may not be called out between the two bases where
she was obstructed unless one of the following occurs:
9.5.7.1 The obstructed runner, after being obstructed, safely obtains the base
she would have been awarded, in the umpire’s judgment, had there been
no obstruction and there is a subsequent play on a different runner. The
obstructed runner is no longer protected if she leaves the base.


Need to find a different horse to beat.
 
Jun 7, 2019
170
43
Thanks for beating that horse. I wasn't aware of the second condition for removing the obstruction protection. I love learning something new.
 
Aug 1, 2019
198
43
South Carolina
As a base coach, this is great info to have, I am concerned that umps wont know it and it will go against me in a game but I am thankful for the in-depth discussion.

That’s why protests exist. Of course, that assumes you’re playing in a tournament or league that allows protests, and the person responsible for adjudicating the protest knows the rule. It may not always be the case.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

MTR

Jun 22, 2008
3,438
48
Here is a USA case play from its May 2014 Plays and Clarifications:

Sounds to me that USA is in agreement with NFHS regarding between-base protection. Since R2 didn't commit a violation which is listed as one of the Rule 8, Section 5B EXCEPTIONS, and the defense didn't make a subsequent play on another runner (another one of the EXCEPTIONS) after she returns to third, she is still protected between third and home. The fact that she returned safely to third has no bearing on the play unless there had been a subsequent play on another runner. That didn't happen.


I'm still looking for the post that states the OBS occurred between 3rd & home
 
Apr 17, 2019
334
63
I'm still looking for the post that states the OBS occurred between 3rd & home
I was kindof hung up on this too. What if the runner was obstructed on the 2nd base side of 3rd while rounding.
I see the "An obstructed runner may not be called out between the two bases where obstructed" language. But if the umpire thinks she would have gotten home, she can be put out there because the obstruction occurred between 2nd and 3rd..... ?
Still confused. :(

Edit: nvm, re-read the USA rule, 2. says in that case it's a dead ball and the umpire awards home.

...
So, to not make this a waste of a post, as offense the best strategy would be to not push it, and see if the umpire awards the base, because you don't know what his judgement was?
And as defense, the best strategy is to attempt a play on another runner to see if you can get obstruction dropped? Or maybe to just get the ball ahead of the lead runner to make a point about the likelihood of them getting there safely?
 
Last edited:

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,854
Messages
680,152
Members
21,510
Latest member
brookeshaelee
Top