2014 NCAA Test Video Play

[cookie]

I had this NCAA video question on the NCAA  test. I'll try to describe it as best as possible since it's not possible to capture the video and paste it here:

 

Batter hits a fair fly ball that passes over the high outfield fence. Fielder leaps up into the air; the ball passes over the fence and into the outstretched fielder's glove; and his glove contacts the leaves, ivy, whatever is green just beyond the fence. (You can see the greenery moving in the video as a result of the fielder's glove contacting it.) As his glove begins to move forward while he is still high off the ground, the ball falls out of his glove onto the field of play. 

 

Is this (a) a catch, (b) ground rule double, © live ball in play, or (d) a home run.

 

I chose  "d" - Home Run based on NCAA Rule 8-3h. Anyone else have this video question?

[noumpere]

Based on that description Id leave the ball in play.

[Umpire in Chief]

I haven't taken the exam yet, but I'd say live ball in play. But I can see the argument for HR. 

[yawetag]

Unless I'm reading an old copy of the Rule Book, 8-2h refers to detached player equipment, which is not what the situation includes.

 

I would keep it a live ball.

[zm1283]

I chose that it's live and in play.  The ball never touched anything beyond the fence, and simply breaking the "plane" of the fence doesn't matter.  

[cookie]

Sorry men, I meant 8-3h:  "If a fair ball goes over the fence in flight..."

 

I was thinking along these lines also as support. Supposing a fielder leaps high into the air and his outstretched glove in contact with a recessed foul pole (above the fence line) receives the fly ball in glove only to have it bounce out his glove while it is in contact with the pole. Live ball also? I was thinking that this would (in the same vein) be a home run also. Oh well, I probably missed this question...

[grayhawk]

h. If a fair ball goes over the fence in flight or is prevented from going over by being touched by a spectator or by a fielder’s detached equipment, all runners, including the batter, are entitled to score;

 

 

Since it wasn't prevented from going over in flight by a fielder's detached equipment, it was brought back into live ball territory legally and is alive and in play.

[Trakes2]

Live ball...Play on!

[johnnyg08]

Have you ever watched Torii Hunter, Mike Trout, etc...rob a home run in a baseball game?

 

Same applies here.

[cookie]

johnnyg08, I've seen many Tori Hunter gems on Sports Center, but they were all catches. I don't believe I ever saw one where his glove reached over and beyond the fence line making contact with an object there (fan, bench, branch, etc.), and while in contact with that object, the unsecured  ball bounced from there straight out of his glove onto the playing field. That's sort of what I'm seeing in this NCAA video question.

 

So what I am reading here from everyone else is that the BALL itself has to touch something in HR territory, NOT the unsecured ball inside a GLOVE that's touching something directly inside the home run area from whence the ball bounds out of the glove back over the fence onto the field of play. You men are saying that's still a live ball in play (where I am seeing it as a home run).

 

PS. Can someone explain to me how I can get another person's quote pasted into my reply. I'm trying....

[alex7]

Have you tried clicking the "quote" button on their reply? Should work.

[GerryB]

I get the rule, but without replay though it strikes me that "breaking the plane" is an easier call than touching something on the other side.

[cookie]

Right, GerryB, "breaking the plane..." makes it a lot easier to call than getting hung up over whether the ball or gloved ball strikes an object beyond the fence line. "Breaking the plane..." would make any fair fly ball that passes over and beyond the fence AND doesn't result in a Catch a home run regardless whether the ball falls from the glove into the stands or falls back onto the field.

 

Note again: I've been using the "Quote" button all along, but it seems this new Toshiba laptop, IE and  Windows 8 is not doing the trick for me...

[yawetag]

Sorry men, I meant 8-3h:  "If a fair ball goes over the fence in flight..."

 

It's the same thing. The rule awards bases for a home run that's stopped from going over the fence by a spectator or a fielder's detached equipment. Don't read too much into the rule.

[BT_Blue]

Live and in play as the glove, not the ball, was what contacted the shrubs above the HR line

[hckyosgood30]

^^^^^ this^^^^ Ball is alive and in play on this one guys.