[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by Stair-Climber
Even though I have seen this situation before, it is still a hard call to make. It is a HTBT, but I would like some feedback. 14 and under girls fast-pitch.

R1 on 2B and B2 is a right handed batter. F2 miss-handles the pitch, but stays in the immediate area of F2 and plate umpire. F2 is scrambling to find the ball and R1 is heading for 3B. B2 steps out of the batter's box and is looking down at 3B. F2 recovers the ball off to F2's left and near B2. When F2 gets the ball, B2 is standing still a foot or two out of batter's box and in between F2 and 3B. F2 grabs the ball, takes a step or two toward 3B, which puts her closer to B2, and attempts to throw the ball to 3B. On the throw, F2's hand hits B2 in the shoulder or back of head. This causes a bad throw by F2 and the ball goes way left of 3B and into foul territory in the outfield. R1 then comes home. My thoughts are: (a) B2 was stationary and not intentionally getting in F2's way of the throw. (b) B2 was not moving around haphazardly, which could have caused F2's throw to go bad. (c) B2 has to stand somewhere and it is not her fault that the ball ended up over close to where she was standing. (d) F2 has some responsibility to avoid the stationary batter and make a clean throw. In other words, I did not call interference and let the play stand. Please give me some of your thoughts.

Thanks.

Speaking ASA

B2 does have to stand somewhere, in the batter's box. If B2 leaves the batter's box and their presence affects F2's ability to make a play on another runner, B2 has interfered and should be ruled out and runner's returned. (7.6.P.1)