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NFHS - Obstruction on a (potentially) scoring runner during a Time Play (2 Outs)


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Posted

NFHS Example Situations:

Play 1: R2, 2 Outs.  Batter hits to outfield, R2 obstructed by F5 rounding 3B.  BR thrown out trying to advance to 2B prior to R2 being able to reach home plate.

Play 2: R1, 2 Outs. Batter hits to outfield, R1 is obstructed by F6 near 2B, but has already rounded 3B when BR is retired behind him at 2B.

[What I'm asking with these 2 plays is if there is a difference WHERE the runner was obstructed by a fielder (either F5 tripping R2 or F6 tripping R1) and the runner spends the exact same amount of time on the ground/recovering from the fall, but has ultimately advanced to between 3B and home when the time-play out is recorded on BR behind him.]

Play 3: R1/R2, 2 Outs.  Hit to OF, relay throw comes in to cutoff man as R2 is rounding 3B.  R2 decides he can't score and throws on the brakes, but gets caught in a pickle/rundown, and is eventually obstructed by a fielder without the ball.  Immediately following the obstruction, F2 throws to F5 where R1 is tagged having arrived at 3B during the duration of the rundown. 

In all of these plays, are we justified in scoring the lead runner and ending the inning on the out that was recorded behind them?

With Obstruction awards being "umpire judgement" on where a runner would have advanced had obstruction not occurred, how much liberty should we exercise in "fast forwarding" an obstructed runner to home with a subsequent third out ending the inning?  Does the NFHS mandate(8-3-2) to "award the obstructed runner a minimum of one base beyond the runner's position on base when the obstruction occurred" impact how this is administered versus other rule sets?

 

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Posted

I guess the way I'm looking at it is from the other side:  are we going to reward the defense for OBS by not counting the run?

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Posted

Highlighted pink in the definition (ignore the blue, that was a change in 2020): 

image.png.02f19a5f7640cd35e11b6821a8a1c530.png

 

Proper awards are made after the ball has become dead.  Score the runner if: (1) in the umpire's judgement, the runner would have scored; or (2) home is the automatic award.

Play 1 -- score -- automatic award

Play 2 -- depends on whether you think the runner would have scored.  The question is "based on that obstruction, what are you awarding him?"  Are you awarding him third (no score) or home (score)?

Play 3-- score -- automatic award

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