Runner interference

[Guest DCM]

9U USSSA Rules. R1 on first no outs. Batted ball short pop fly to second base. F4 needs to run forward to make attempt to catch the ball. R1 attempts steal when ball is hit.  No infield fly is called and R1 runs into F4 attempting to catch the ball at his knees in line with second base.  Had the catch been made an easy double up would have been possible.  Collision causes F4 to miss the ball.  F6 is closing into make the catch but F4 is clearly moving into position. Batter and runner are called safe. 
 

[maven]

This is runner INT. F4 is protected from OBS because he is fielding a batted ball. When R1 hinders him—even unintentionally, and contact is not necessary—it is INT.

The ball is dead, the runner is out. The BR is awarded 1B, unless R1 intentionally made contact to prevent a double play (the Fed rule is different on this point).

For collisions on the bases during a batted ball, it's always either INT or OBS, never a no-call. You're asking about 9U, so everyone involved is still learning, including the umpires. That's fine: that's a primary goal of instructional baseball.

[noumpere]

To add to Maven's answer:

1) Not calling an infield fly is correct.  The conditions aren't met (and, lots of younger ages play without this rule anyway).

2) You won't get a double play on this under OBR unless the interference is "willful and with the deliberate intent of preventing a double play" (or some words to that effect).

[Guest DCM]

Thanks. I wasn’t expecting IF Fly because I’ve only seen that called once at this age level.  The steal attempt on a fly ball was really what would have made it an easy double up.  Anyway, the umpire was pretty confident saying F4 was not in the act of making a play when he was clearly going for the ball.  Learning moment for everyone.  The only thing that could have been left to interpretation was if F4 was in the base path or not before R1 occupied the same space.  

[maven]

1 hour ago, Guest DCM said:

I wasn’t expecting IF Fly because I’ve only seen that called once at this age level.

I wasn't expecting an IFF because there was only R1. To rule IFF properly, 1B and 2B must be occupied at TOP (and other conditions, of course).

[noumpere]

1 hour ago, Guest DCM said:

  The only thing that could have been left to interpretation was if F4 was in the base path or not before R1 occupied the same space.  

That doesn't matter, if F4 was the protected fielder.  You mentioned F6 was also going for the ball -- maybe the umpire had F6 as the protected fielder.  In that case, it's OBS on F4.

[mac266]

On 7/14/2020 at 11:23 AM, Guest DCM said:

Thanks. I wasn’t expecting IF Fly because I’ve only seen that called once at this age level.  The steal attempt on a fly ball was really what would have made it an easy double up.  Anyway, the umpire was pretty confident saying F4 was not in the act of making a play when he was clearly going for the ball.  Learning moment for everyone.  The only thing that could have been left to interpretation was if F4 was in the base path or not before R1 occupied the same space.  

There have to be runners on 1st AND 2nd *or* bases loaded with fewer than 2 outs for an infield fly to be called.  With just a runner on 1st, as you stated, it CANNOT be called, regardless of how many outs there are.  So regardless of how often it's called at that age level, it COULD NOT HAVE been called in this case. 

As to interference, the way I've been coached to make this judgement is to determine which fielder has a "right" to field the ball.  There can be only one, and that particular fielder is protected from an obstruction call when he is in the act of fielding a batted ball.  Remember, a runner has 3 feet on either side of the base path in which to move without being called out, giving him a 6 foot wide lane.  The runner needs to use those six feet to go around the fielder. 

[noumpere]

25 minutes ago, mac266 said:

There have to be runners on 1st AND 2nd *or* bases loaded with fewer than 2 outs for an infield fly to be called.  With just a runner on 1st, as you stated, it CANNOT be called, regardless of how many outs there are.  So regardless of how often it's called at that age level, it COULD NOT HAVE been called in this case. 

As to interference, the way I've been coached to make this judgement is to determine which fielder has a "right" to field the ball.  There can be only one, and that particular fielder is protected from an obstruction call when he is in the act of fielding a batted ball.  Remember, a runner has 3 feet on either side of the base path in which to move without being called out, giving him a 6 foot wide lane.  The runner needs to use those six feet to go around the fielder. 

The runner can go outside that "6 foot wide lane" to avoid a fielder fielding the ball.  It's only when a tag attempt is being made that this lane applies -- it's not relevant in the play being discussed at all.