Softball Player Saves Home Run With Aerobatic Catch

[625ender]

 

[schwabach]

Incredible catch. She's got football receiver genes. But... is the catch legal? Her feet had left fair territory before she made the catch.

MLBs rule 6.05(a) stated below:

Rule 6.05(a) Comment: A fielder may reach into, but not step into, a dugout to make a catch, and if he holds the ball, the catch shall be allowed. A fielder, in order to make a catch on a foul ball nearing a dugout or other out-of-play area (such as the stands), must have one or both feet on or over the playing surface (including the lip of the dugout) and neither foot on the ground inside the dugout or in any other out-of-play area. Ball is in play, unless the fielder, after making a legal catch, falls into a dugout or other out-of-play area, in which case the ball is dead.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Wow, but what's the rule on this type of play? I mean, could she have hurdled the fence and caught it. I am not sure that isn't a HR. She has clearly completely left the playing field when she caught the ball.

 

[sluggers]

Under MLB rules, it would be a home run. I'm not sure about NCAA rules.

She left the field to make the catch.

NCAA rules:

9.3.7 The fielder is standing on the fence as it is lying on the ground beyond the original plane of the home run fence when she catches the ball.

 

[schwabach]

If the outfield fences had been moved back as many are suggesting, it wouldn't be an issue.

 

[625ender]

In slow mo it looks like a catch because her feet are on top of the fence, but the umpires gave her grace on the catch. Theres mo way they could've seen that. The was a big dog play. She was not going to be denied

 

[reagansdaddy]

Why in the world are they playing a state championship game on a field with snow fences? This is completely and totally unacceptable. There must be a place in Utah that could host a game of this magnitude that is set up for fastpitch softball. Whoever runs Utah HS athletics should be embarrassed!!!

 

[texasheat]

Per NCAA rules, it is a legal catch.

See 9.2.2.1 -- she catches it before she lands in dead ball area
See 9.2.2.2 -- self explanatory
See 9.2.2.5 -- self explanatory

 

[EdLovrich]

Here is the rule analysis of this very play

 

[EdLovrich]

The key under all rule sets both softball and baseball at all levels is that the fielder was not in contact with the ground out of play (or in contact with with a collapsible fence that is lying on the ground) before securing the ball.

That is, she was not established out of play prior to securing the ball, since she was NOT OUT OF PLAY she must be IN PLAY.