leaving base path or interference

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ixamnis
Posts: 302
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 5:17 pm

leaving base path or interference

Post by ixamnis » Sun Apr 12, 2015 6:49 pm

Runner on first, no outs. Batter bunts down third base line, fielded by the thirdbaseman who throws to second baseman covering first. Runner on first advances to second. Batter however runs into first baseman (who has come in when the batter shows bunt) 3-6 feet into fair territory inside the first base line about 1/2 to 2/3rds of the way to first base. It appeared from the conversation of the umpires with the coaches that the Batter was called out for being too far inside the base path and runner who was on first is sent back to first. Official scorekeeper recorded it as batter interference. Iscore gives the option of leaving the base path. Having a hard time finding this situation in the rules to see if the consequences the same? Also if the collision hadn't occurred I think the runner on first would have been safe at second. Has anyone seen a batter/runner called out for leaving the base path on the way to first unless some sort of play or collision has been involved?
PetroGuy
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Location: Oklahoma City, OK

Re: leaving base path or interference

Post by PetroGuy » Mon Apr 13, 2015 7:57 am

I don't know the softball rules. However, in MLB rules, this appears to have been called incorrectly.
MLB 6.05
A batter is out when -
(k) In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball is being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the three-foot line, or inside (to the left of) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment in so doing interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is dead; except that he may run outside (to the right of) the threefoot line or inside (to the left of) the foul line to avoid a fielder attempting to field a batted ball;
Rule 6.05(k) Comment: The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of that lane and a batter- runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane. The batter-runner is permitted to exit the three-foot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base.
Note that the batter is only out in the event they interfere with the fielder (in this case the SECOND baseman) taking the throw at first. This could mean getting in the way of the throw while being out of the running lane, or colliding with the fielder. Since it was called anyway, I would score it as Batter Interference since that is basically what 6.05 is about.
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ixamnis
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Re: leaving base path or interference

Post by ixamnis » Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:28 am

It wouldn't surprise me if they had the call wrong. Maybe I should have made my original post under rules questions. In this case the batter didn't interfere with a fielder involved in the play so how can it be batter interference? As near as I can tell she could only have been called out for being out of the base path. At first I thought they might call obstruction on the first baseman, since the batter had done a running bunt her momentum had carried her forward so that she was pretty much running in straight line to first from where she ended up on the field after she laid down the bunt. The first baseman was watching the third baseman field the ball and wasn't paying attention to the runner. Yet the first baseman was on a part of the field that you wouldn't expect a runner to be. I still think if there had not been a collision it would have been one out and runner standing on second.

In the end the tell might be that the coach of the team batting did not protest the call for very long.
PetroGuy
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Location: Oklahoma City, OK

Re: leaving base path or interference

Post by PetroGuy » Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:17 am

I'm just calling it batter interference because that is apparently the call the umpire made. In baseball rules, you can only call a runner out for running out of the basepath if a play is being made on the player (tag attempt). Even then, play is not called dead and other runners are not returned to original bases. The only reason the runner on first was returned is if the umpire called batter interference (or just mad something up).

You are correct in that it is closer to defensive obstruction in that an 'unprotected' fielder collides with the batter/runner. However, since the batter/runner is out of their protected running lane (and not due to trying to avoid a collision obviously), then I wouldn't go with DO as correct either. I would think it is just a train wreck play and no call should be made except whatever the result of the throw to first (either the defense got the throw to first in time or not).
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ixamnis
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Re: leaving base path or interference

Post by ixamnis » Mon Apr 27, 2015 9:34 am

I have tried to research this as much I was able and I am 90% certain they got the call right. Probably rule 12.13 on collisions in NCAA softball rules speaks most directly to it. Although 12.25 on staying in the base path may come into play also. The way I read it, collisions are to be avoided. You can have collisions though where both the fielder and the runner are doing what they were supposed to do and then there is no call. Because in this play a collision occurred and the batter/runner was out of the base path. Call is dead ball, batter/runner out for leaving the base path and all base runners return to their base.

Interesting that the official scorekeeper told me that she put done batter/runner interference because that was the only option her high dollar scorekeeping program gave her. Iscore allowed me to enter leaving the base path, so kudos to iscore for giving the opportunity to record it more correctly in my opinion anyway.
ixamnis
Posts: 302
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 5:17 pm

Re: leaving base path or interference

Post by ixamnis » Mon Apr 27, 2015 9:35 am

Also I was told by a high school umpire based on how I described it, had this occurred in a high school softball game, the batter/runner would have been ejected from the game.
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