Interference (softball, all rule-sets)

[Guest Unsure_Sureness]

Happened in a game yesterday.

 

2 outs, runners on 2nd and 3rd.

Batter hits single down 3rd foul line (fair ball) , runners on 2nd/3rd advance.  3rd baseman throws ball home for swipe tag.

Runner from 3rd is running directly down foul line (straight path between 3rd and home).  Ball hits runner in back.  Plate umpire calls runner out for interference.  Game over, final out.

Coaches go nuts, final out would not have affected the winner (winning team was up 8-0).

Argument from umpire was that the runner has a right to advance but was running out of baseline.  Coaches disagreed.  Umpire stood firm, game now really declared over.

 

Was this interference?

 

[grayhawk]

Warning, I have no clue about softball rules.  This is nothing in all baseball codes no matter where the runner was running.  The only way it would be interference is if the runner did something to intentionally interfere (like swat at the ball, for example).

[C12]

 

 

Was this interference?

 

​No.........(unsure on softball rules)

I think your umpire is confusing the runners lane on the first base line. If a batter/runner is outside that lane and hit by a thrown ball he/she may be called out if in the umpires judgement the BR interfered with the fielder taking the throw.

There is no runners lane on the third base side. Any interference here has to be willful. Which I don't see in your play as described.

[Rich Ives]

Happened in a game yesterday.

 

2 outs, runners on 2nd and 3rd.

Batter hits single down 3rd foul line (fair ball) , runners on 2nd/3rd advance.  3rd baseman throws ball home for swipe tag.

Runner from 3rd is running directly down foul line (straight path between 3rd and home).  Ball hits runner in back.  Plate umpire calls runner out for interference.  Game over, final out.

Coaches go nuts, final out would not have affected the winner (winning team was up 8-0).

Argument from umpire was that the runner has a right to advance but was running out of baseline.  Coaches disagreed.  Umpire stood firm, game now really declared over.

 

Was this interference?

 

​Only if it's OK to hit a runner on purpose to get an out.

 

[bluejerred]

Which rule set was the game under?  (ASA, NSA, U-trip, Fed, etc....)

[Rich Ives]

Which rule set was the game under?  (ASA, NSA, U-trip, Fed, etc....)

​Where would it make a difference?

[bluejerred]

Probably none considering this situation but I'm just trying to be thorough.  

 

For the initial question, unless the player did something intentional to deflect the throw, no interference.  If F2 and F5 set up right and make a clean throw, this shouldn't happen if R3 was running down the line as explained.  Personally, I would no-call this and the ball is live.  

 

Edited June 8, 2015 by bluejerred

[LMSANS]

Sounds to me like an umpire that decided the game should be over.

[BretMan]

In this case (as in a majority of cases) the softball rule is exactly identical to the baseball rule.

1) Runners who are accidentally hit by thrown balls are not guilty of interference.

2) There is no baseline/basepath that a runner has to be in on this play.

The ruling for this play: No interference, live ball, play on, get what you get.