This is a play that I wish ASA would clarify their interpretation.
Strictly speaking, there was no interference, since the ball was not in the possession of F2 and was not closer to F2 than the runner. So, strictly speaking, we have obstruction with malicious contact. Runner safe & ejected.
I keep repeating "strictly speaking" because that is what the rule book says, but not what the case book says. There is the small matter of ASA Case Play 10.8-1.
Quote:
PLAY 10.8-1
R1 on 3B, B2 hits a fly ball to F7. Thinking the ball will be caught, B2 throws his bat in anger. The ball bounds off F7 and clears the fence. Umpire rules dead ball. Calls B2 out nullifying his run and ejects B2. R1 is returned to 3B.
RULING: Correct ruling for flagrant misconduct. (10-8A, 10-1J{3}; 10-1K)
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The problem with this case play is the rule cited to justify the out (10-1K) is really grasping at straws, since all 10-1K says is the umpire will call players out if the rules say so. It is not a stand-alone rule for conditions when a player is out. Nowhere in the ASA rule book is a rule to back up calling a player out for flagrant misconduct.
Mike has pointed out that the instruction he has received are that we are to apply the Case Play for these kinds of situations, so using that, the proper call in ASA is dead ball, R1 out and ejected, no runs score.
But, I wish ASA would add this to the rule book in 2004 if that is the way they want if called.