Bases Loaded - Runner Interference

[Guest Coach CB]

Situation: bases loaded, zero outs

 

Ball is hit at the second basemen.  Second basemen fields the ball clean directly between 1B and 2B.  'Runner from first base' runs directly into second basemen.  Therefore, second basemen makes the tag on the 'runner from first base' and tries to throw the ball to 1B for the double-play.  'Runner from first base' impedes the throw and second basemen drops the ball.  While this is going on, the runner from third base AND second base run home to score.

 

Ruling made on the field - 'Runner from first base' called out due to tag and the 'batter-runner' ruled out due to the impedance of the throw.

*however, runner from third ruled safe at home AND the runner from second was ruled safe at home -- umpire's discretion: said the runner from second was 75% of the way already home.

[Two outs, but two runs score]

 

What is the right call here? Are both runners forced to retreat to original bases because the batter-runner was never safe at 1B? Is it ruled a dead ball on initial contact between fielder and runner?

 

Thanks

[noumpere]

Some of this is going to depend on the code:

 

OBR: R1 is out.  BR is out only if the INT was "intentional with the purpose of breaking up a double play" or some such words. Since BR had not reached first, runners return TOP.

FED (HS): Both BR and R1 are out since a double play was likely (If not, then only R1 is out).  Runners return time of interference.  That's likely back to third and second.

[SH0102]

How was the runner from 2nd already 75% of the way home by the time F4 was interfered with halfway between 1st and 2nd? That makes no sense.

Some INT (not this one but bear with me) the runners return to time of INT, so even if that was what umpire was enforcing, being 75% of the way home puts the runner back at third. IOW, the umpire had zero reason to score R2, interference NEVER includes judgment about where a runner would have gotten to.

Bc the INT occurred prior to BR reaching first, runners should have returned to time of pitch.

As for double play, that is the only part of this that is judgment based, but sounds like it was correct call there 

[maven]

On 7/7/2021 at 6:49 PM, noumpere said:

Some of this is going to depend on the code:

 

OBR: R1 is out.  BR is out only if the INT was "intentional with the purpose of breaking up a double play" or some such words. Since BR had not reached first, runners return TOP.

FED (HS): Both BR and R1 are out since a double play was likely (If not, then only R1 is out).  Runners return time of interference.  That's likely back to third and second.

+1

The ball is dead immediately on INT. So, for OBR, we'll need to judge whether the collision with F4 is a willful and deliberate attempt to breakup a DP: if so, 2 are out.

In all codes, R3 and R2 will be returned: they might be a step or 2 closer to their advance bases than R1 is to his, but they won't have arrived by TOI.