UMPs making calls to end inning...

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Mar 7, 2016
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First pool play game of the weekend and we drew a team that wasn't the same caliber as my team. Open tourney. Bottom of first inning up 8-0, no outs. field ump calls two plays at first out that were not even close. The third out we will get to in a second. Keep in mind this is USA ball, RA, RC, and RD all count for seeding. Knowing our second draw team was a A/B caliber team we needed to limit the RA, and have a decent game score wise. After the inning was over the field ump which knows our fan base well came over and loudly stated "I needed to end that inning, those girls were safe".... Now making that decision is one thing, telling people out loud is another. Now onto the third out:

Girl swings away and catches one off the end cap which went about as far as a good bunt, catcher makes great read and fires to first. My player was running down the line with right foot on the line. Ball hits my player in the back of the helmet. Called out for interference. When I appealed the call i was told she had to run along the line in foul territory. Never in 20 years have I ever heard that. Our angle on bunts has always been inside line angling to safety base at the end.

Here is the kicker... the home plate ump is also the son of the tourney director.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
. After the inning was over the field ump which knows our fan base well came over and loudly stated "I needed to end that inning, those girls were safe".... Now making that decision is one thing, telling people out loud is another. Now onto the third out:

Guys an idiot for doing this, but why are you complaining here? Nothing we can do. Go see the UIC and TD no matter who they are. Maybe they will address it for future games or other ways.

Girl swings away and catches one off the end cap which went about as far as a good bunt, catcher makes great read and fires to first. My player was running down the line with right foot on the line. Ball hits my player in the back of the helmet. Called out for interference.

This is a bit of 'have to be there' call because it matters where the runner is but if she is in fair territory - which you say she was - and you get whacked by the throw to 1B - you are certainly at risk of being called out. That is pretty common - that is why there is a running down the first base line. Not sure why you would not have seen this in the past.

This is the USSSA rule - it is much the same in all sanctions:

Batter-runner is out:
Rule 8. Sec 17.E.When they run outside the three-foot running lane (last half of the distance from home plate to first base) while the ball is being fielded or thrown to first base.EXCEPTION: This infraction is ignored if it is to avoid a fielder who is attempting to field the batted ball or if the act does not interfere with a fielder or a throw
 
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Mar 7, 2016
242
28
Guys an idiot for doing this, but why are you complaining here? Nothing we can do. Go see the UIC and TD no matter who they are. Maybe they will address it for future games or other ways.



This is a bit of 'have to be there' call because it matters where the runner is but if she is in fair territory - which you say she was - and you get whacked by the throw to 1B - you are certainly at risk of being called out. That is pretty common - that is why there is a running down the first base line. Not sure why you would not have seen this in the past.

This is the USSSA rule - it is much the same in all sanctions:

Batter-runner is out:
Rule 8. Sec 17.E.When they run outside the three-foot running lane (last half of the distance from home plate to first base) while the ball is being fielded or thrown to first base.EXCEPTION: This infraction is ignored if it is to avoid a fielder who is attempting to field the batted ball or if the act does not interfere with a fielder or a throw

good point on the complaining here part, there is nothing that can be done period.

please tell me where a runner should run then from the front of the box to first when she is well within the 3ft limit. Her right foot is on the line. I can see on a slap attempt if her path is clear left angling to saftey base but that was not the case. I have not seen this in the past because it has never been called like this ever, every other time that has happened it is not interference. It was not blatent, she hit her safety bag tailing to the right. With this thinking a catcher can legally bean the runner in the back every bunt for an out and all other runners are forced back?

Also why i teach my catcher/first to clear the runner left or right depending on bunt/dropped 3rd.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
good point on the complaining here part, there is nothing that can be done period.

please tell me where a runner should run then from the front of the box to first when she is well within the 3ft limit. Her right foot is on the line. I can see on a slap attempt if her path is clear left angling to saftey base but that was not the case. I have not seen this in the past because it has never been called like this ever, every other time that has happened it is not interference. It was not blatent, she hit her safety bag tailing to the right. With this thinking a catcher can legally bean the runner in the back every bunt for an out and all other runners are forced back?

Also why i teach my catcher/first to clear the runner left or right depending on bunt/dropped 3rd.

The rule above is very clear - the runner is OK in fair territory up until half way down the line so a slapper/bunter/any batter-runner has plenty of time to get into the running lane without being at risk for an out - so you can't just hit a batter-runner to get an out which is why your catcher has to clear a throwing lane. At half way down the line, the batter-runner has had time to get in the running lane as per the rule. Once there, the running lane is COMPLETELY in foul territory, so if the runner is in the lane, they are not at risk of being out if the throw hits them. If you are in fair territory you are at risk of an interference call.

There is no three foot limit - that only applies to veering off the established runners base line when trying to avoid a tag (direct line to the next base from where the runner is when a fielder attempts to make a play on them). Nothing to do about where you actually run on the field. Technically you could hit the ball fair and run to the pitching rubber ot the outfield on your way to first - I mean that is stupid, but you could.
 
Mar 7, 2016
242
28
Can you point me to the rule in the book that states the running lane is completely in foul territory halfway down the line to first base? Or is this an interpretation of a generic judgement call rule?
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
Obviously he figured this was an easy way to get the third out call its a judgement call as to exactly where the girl was in the lane. In the first inning though I would be very uneasy with doing this kind of thing as an umpire, if the caoch wants to step off the bag etc. fine but as an ump you should stay out of it and just call the game. We have all seen crazy things happen in softball. Does that mean at 25-0 in the third inning the strike zone doesn't get bigger well that's a judgement call that you don''t want to argue...
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Holy cow...your team is up 8-0 in the first inning and you are whining about a call?

I'm trying to figure out why you would think she could not be called out.

The running lane creates a "safe space" for the batter-runner. If she is in the running lane, then she can't be called out for interfering with a throw.

But your batter-runner was not in the runners lane.

If the batter-runner is not in the running lane, then it is up to the umpire to decide if the batter-runner interfered with the throw.

Here is the NCAA rule:

12.2.4.2 The batter-runner may not run outside the base runner’s lane and, in the umpire’s judgment, interfere with the fielder taking the throw at first base.
 
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sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Can you point me to the rule in the book that states the running lane is completely in foul territory halfway down the line to first base? Or is this an interpretation of a generic judgement call rule?

It is the part of the rules describing the playing field.

NCAA Rules:

2.21 Runner’s Lane
The area that is the last half of the distance between home plate and first base where a batter-runner must run to avoid interfering with a fielder’s attempt to receive a thrown ball. It is bounded by a 30-foot line drawn in foul territory parallel to and 3 feet from the first-base line, starting at a point halfway between home plate and the back edge of first base.
 

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