Once the ball has been hit, the defense must be given opportunity to field it. Any contact between offense (runners) and defense (fielder) during the act of fielding the ball is the responsibility of the offense and should be called interference and therefore a deadball and an out.
This is a general principle of baseball.
It is amazing how many do not understand it. Watching my son's game last night: shortstop is moving to field a grounder, R2 steps on F6's glove as ball arrives. ball comes out R2 falls down, F6 picks up ball and tags runner. Runner's coach is screaming for interference (LMAO). "That's exactly right coach and that is why your runner is out." But the offensive coach was trying to say the act was obstruction and that his runner should be protected (because he was in a direct line between 2nd and 3rd) and F6 was moving toward the runner's path. WRONGO coach. Location of the players has nothing to do with anything - defense gets opportunity to field the ball no matter where it is located.
I was really surprised that the young 15-year old umpire (who actually came out from behind home plate to make calls on the bases) got the call correct. Your runner is out coach.
Stupid coach was hollering and bickering about get the rulebook out, and we're going to protest, and a bunch of childish gibberish. I wonder if that level of ignorance hurts? It surely hurts game if not the coach's head.
