Runner interference

[Guest question]

A runner is struck by a batted ball before the fielder has an opportunity to make a play on the ball.  The fielder then picks up the ball and throws to first base with the ball reaching first before the batter/runner.  Are both runners out or is the play immediately dead once it strikes the base runner and the batter awarded 1st base?

[Richvee]

11 minutes ago, Guest question said:

the runner wasn't intentionally trying to break up anything.  It was a pure case of player running from one base to the next and the ball hit them on their way before the fielder had an opportunity to field the ball.  So clear case of runner interference, runner is out.  The part I wasn't sure about was the fielder still being able to make a play at first to get the batter out as well.  I wasn't sure if play is dead as soon as the ball hit the runner and the batter is awarded 1st base or if the fielder still had the opportunity to get the 2nd out by throwing out the batter running to first.  In this case the fielder threw to first in time to get the runner out but the umpire ruled her safe because the batted ball hit the base runner and wasn't paying attention at first base to see that the ball beat the batter to 1st base.

There is no play after the ball hits the runner. The ball is dead. The play is over. The fielder catching the ball and throwing to first "never happened" 

[maven]

16 minutes ago, Guest question said:

Are both runners out or is the play immediately dead once it strikes the base runner and the batter awarded 1st base?

IF the runner is guilty of interference, the ball is dead immediately, the runner is out, and the batter is awarded 1B.

Codes vary regarding whether a runner struck by a batted ball is guilty of INT (depends on where, whether the ball was deflected, whether a fielder had a play, etc. etc. etc.)

[grayhawk]

Codes also vary on whether you can get 2 outs here.  In HS (Fed), if the umpire believes the interference prevented a double play, then he can also call the BR out.  In OBR, the interference would have to be "willful and deliberate with the obvious intent to break up a double play" in order to get two outs.

[Guest question]

19 minutes ago, grayhawk said:

Codes also vary on whether you can get 2 outs here.  In HS (Fed), if the umpire believes the interference prevented a double play, then he can also call the BR out.  In OBR, the interference would have to be "willful and deliberate with the obvious intent to break up a double play" in order to get two outs.

the runner wasn't intentionally trying to break up anything.  It was a pure case of player running from one base to the next and the ball hit them on their way before the fielder had an opportunity to field the ball.  So clear case of runner interference, runner is out.  The part I wasn't sure about was the fielder still being able to make a play at first to get the batter out as well.  I wasn't sure if play is dead as soon as the ball hit the runner and the batter is awarded 1st base or if the fielder still had the opportunity to get the 2nd out by throwing out the batter running to first.  In this case the fielder threw to first in time to get the runner out but the umpire ruled her safe because the batted ball hit the base runner and wasn't paying attention at first base to see that the ball beat the batter to 1st base.

[grayhawk]

7 minutes ago, Guest question said:

the runner wasn't intentionally trying to break up anything.  It was a pure case of player running from one base to the next and the ball hit them on their way before the fielder had an opportunity to field the ball.  So clear case of runner interference, runner is out.  The part I wasn't sure about was the fielder still being able to make a play at first to get the batter out as well.  I wasn't sure if play is dead as soon as the ball hit the runner and the batter is awarded 1st base or if the fielder still had the opportunity to get the 2nd out by throwing out the batter running to first.  In this case the fielder threw to first in time to get the runner out but the umpire ruled her safe because the batted ball hit the base runner and wasn't paying attention at first base to see that the ball beat the batter to 1st base.

So was this softball?  If so, I don't know their rules at all, though I would suspect that it's at least similar to baseball where a runner being struck with a batted ball would be an immediate dead ball when a fielder is behind them with an opportunity to field it.  The "play" at first never happened.  So if he kept it live and mistakenly ruled safe at first, and called out the runner that was hit with the ball, he likely backed into the correct outcome.

[dookiexman]

3 hours ago, grayhawk said:

So was this softball?  If so, I don't know their rules at all, though I would suspect that it's at least similar to baseball where a runner being struck with a batted ball would be an immediate dead ball when a fielder is behind them with an opportunity to field it.  The "play" at first never happened.  So if he kept it live and mistakenly ruled safe at first, and called out the runner that was hit with the ball, he likely backed into the correct outcome.

Softball has the same rules for runner interference on a batted ball. The outcome would be exactly the same as baseball on this play. Runner out on interference, dead ball, BR to 1st.