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This is spoken to very clearly in the various softball rule codes which very closely resemble the Fed baseball code on obstruction.
In those, the ball is dead if the obstructed runner is tagged out while being awarded protection by the umpire.
As a practical mattter, I have experienced no problems administering the baseball rule in that manner. Most coaches in this area seem to expect it as that is the way they have seen it applied in softball and type b (OBR) baseball obstruction.
I will leave it to others to argue if the award (ie: the predicate to declaring the ball dead) is when you declare the runner safe due to the obstruction, or when all continuing action is finished.
Roger Greene
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