Infield fly if fair

[SleptTilNoonLOL]

High school varsity game played on an all dirt infield. Runners on 1st and 2nd, 0 outs. 

 

Popup about 20 feet from home plate, up the 3rd base line, in foul ground but not by a ton. To be safe, I call "infield fly if fair". Catcher is under the popup but whiffs on it. It lands about 8 feet foul, but has spin/wind taking it back towards fair territory. Coach from dugout yells at his defense to let the ball roll fair. It does, and they pick it up in fair territory. Runners have not moved. I called batter out on an infield fly, and there was a huge reaction from the offensive team. 

 

Did I do anything wrong here? I knew for sure the ball was going to land foul, but called the infield fly because I knew if it did land it could possibly roll fair. I think its just a heads up play by the defense to allow the ball to roll fair, knowing that they had the out on the IFF. 

 

 

[noumpere]

You got it right

[beerguy55]

Not sure why you'd get such a huge reaction from the offensive team (maybe from the idiots in the stands)...you saved them from running into a double play.

Did their coach actually want you to rule this "foul"???

[Velho]

18 minutes ago, beerguy55 said:

Did their coach actually want you to rule this "foul"???

"want"? Heck yeah they did 🤣 

[MadMax]

12 hours ago, SleptTilNoonLOL said:

It does, and they pick it up in fair territory, and I indicate / signal / mechanic Fair. Runners have not moved. I called batter out on an infield fly, and there was a huge reaction from the offensive team. 

Did you do this (and just omit it in the report 👆 above)? If you forgot to do this, it's the only thing you had lacking from the play. 

Otherwise, dead-on right!

[grayhawk]

6 hours ago, MadMax said:

Did you do this (and just omit it in the report 👆 above)? If you forgot to do this, it's the only thing you had lacking from the play. 

Otherwise, dead-on right!

I would add that's it a good idea to reinforce the IFF after it's touched or settles fair with, "Batter's out, he's still out!" If the runners go after that, then it's doubly on them.

[SleptTilNoonLOL]

Thank you for the replies. I did point fair and verbalize so it looks like I nailed this one all the way around. I was very confident in the call at the time and it was only a couple hours after I got home that I started to second guess it even slightly. Posted here because I thought it was an interesting play as much as anything, and was not disappointed with the discussion

[BLWizzRanger]

I had one just the opposite this year.  Popup along the first base line and I call 'In Field Fly if Fair.'  F3 lets the ball hit in fair territory and the ball bounces into foul territory where F2 touches it.  DHC wonders out loud why the batter wasn't out and why we would holler 'if Fair'.  Sometimes the learning is after the play.