Interference on a U3K--did I kick this?

[stevis]

LL Majors, nobody on, outs don't matter.

Had an uncaught third strike, near the catcher's feet.   Batter takes off, release the bat behind him, catcher steps up to the plate to throw and takes the bat right on the arm. Can't make a good throw.

I was focused on the ball to see if he came up with a tag, and the whole situation blew up on me.  Naturally the coach wants interference on the batter.  I went to my partner while they were tending to him, to see if the bat really came flying back and I missed it--he agreed with me it was released like a batter should and the catcher kind of stepped into it.

On the field I kept my ruling of nothing.  I was thinking of the bat hitting the ball in the situation and knocking it away from the catcher. More I think about it, I think I kicked it--I didn't need intent for interference there, did I?

 

Doesn't help that it was one of those games where everything close went against that team, including a rotation we kicked...and I took a mask and cup shot about three pitches apart--but I'll save those for War Stories.

[bluejerred]

That's big time HTBT to see what happened.  One of those things where you and your partner have what you have and someone isn't going to be happy.  Get ready to pull out some "Verbal Judo".  

[ElkOil]

Boy, I don't know that I could ever call that INT.  The batter was struck because he walked into the falling bat.  It's not like he didn't play a role and was a hapless victim.