Batters interference

[Guest Joe]

1 out runner on 1st. Runner attempts to steal 2nd--home plate umpire calls batter interference.  Runner falls down and proceeds to get in rundown between 1st and 2nd. Runner makes it back to 1st safely. Umpires get together and do not call batter out since runner made it back to 1st safely. Right call or should batter be out for interference?

[Replacematt]

If the batter interferes and the catcher's initial throw does not retire the runner (or there is no throw,) the ball is dead and the penalty is enforced: batter is out, all runners return to their TOP bases.

[maven]

8 hours ago, Matt said:

If the batter interferes and the catcher's initial throw does not retire the runner (or there is no throw,) the ball is dead and the penalty is enforced: batter is out, all runners return to their TOP bases.

So, to apply this, here's what should have happened in the OP:

A rundown is not possible after batter INT. Once R1 turns to go back to 1B, the first throw by F2 has failed to retire a runner. The BU should kill it right then, tell R1 to keep going back to 1B, and the PU will call the batter out. Now R1 with 2 outs.

There is no rule code where the umpires got it right, assuming the PU really did call batter INT.

[noumpere]

Unless of course, PU called "backswing INT" -- in which case the play still should have been killed, but returning (or leaving) R1 at first was correct under OBR (it's still an out in FED).