Almost had this play yesterday

[carolinablue]

R1. Batter hits weak grounder up the middle. Ball is cleanly fielded by F4 directly beside and one step away from 2B. R1 is bearing down on F4 by this time and executes a head first slide just as F4 attempts to step on the base. The slide is just behind F4 but the runners arm unintentionally hooks F4's leg and spins him, causing him to miss the base. I almost had this play yesterday except F4 still barely got the base with his foot and I had the out.

If the slide would have caused him to miss the base, would it be INT. I think that's what I would have called but am not sure if I'm right.

[Rich Ives]

Not even close in OBR.

In FED was it a legal slide? If so I'd have a real hard time thinking it was int or a FPSR violation.

[carolinablue]

It was a LL game, so OBR. My thinking was that the step to the base was part of the play in which F4 is protected. Much like a fielder who has fielded the ball and has his arm clipped by a runner as he is attempting to throw to 1B. As I said I'm not sure about it so that's why I'm asking.

I also know the runner has to get to the base as well.

[Rich Ives]

There's no "protected" in OBR/LL. If the runner slides within reach of the base it's legal. Period. A runner is not required to slide. Merely continuing to run after being put out is not interference.

It would require a deliberate act to get an interference call. It should be pretty obvious that it was deliberate before you call it.

NOW

If it was a truly a Little League game (chartered LL) - majors or lower - the runner is out for doing a head first slide - play on.