Malicious Contact

[tankmjg24]

So this contains a few different points and could be placed under a few different categories but I decided to place it here.

 

This was a high school Varsity contest being played under FED Rules. 

 

I am PU and there are R2 and R3 with 2 outs.  Batter hits the ball up the middle to easily score R3 and coach waives home R2.  F8 fields the ball and makes a decent throw to F2.  I initially drop back to the point of the plate position and watch R3 score, when I see a play is going to occur on R2 I go 1BX.  The throw is a off line and takes the catcher up the line toward 3rd (at this point F2 is probably 3 ft out of the dirt circle and maybe a few inches in foul territory).  Right as F2 is preparing to receive the ball, he is ran into by R2 (the ball is never secured by the catcher and ends up at the backstop).  The blow leaves R2 on his feet, and F2 is sorta knocked down to the ground (he catches himself by landing on his right knee and putting his right hand down onto the ground).  The way that R2 collided with F2 was slightly awkward.  First off, he left his feet (there was probably 6 inches of daylight between the ground and his cleats) and he went forward with his shoulder and ducked his head. 

 

I realize this is a HTBT type situation, however do you all think that this warranted MC and also would 3BX have offered a better view than 1BX?  In my judgement it was MC and I ruled accordingly.  Coach did not agree with me at all (do they ever in this situation though? ).  After the game while discussing with my partner, he felt as if this could have been ruled incidental contact (this is the same guy though that thinks incidental contact could be ruled on a pop fly up the first base line where the BR runs into F3 as he is attempting to make the catch  )  . 

 

Thoughts?         . 

[Mad Mike]

Based on what you described with the player leaving his feet and launching himself with his shoulder first and ducking his head it appears this is MC (which supercedes OBS). Good call.

[okump96]

I agree, I'd get him for MC all day.

[Aging_Arbiter]

concur

[HeadHunterLA]

Good call.