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Old Tue May 09, 2006, 01:40pm
rwest rwest is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Suwanee Georgia
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Yes, but....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Smiley
The rule you cite is a batted ball hitting a runner. The OP was a runner colliding with the fielder. NFHS 8-6-10 says runner is out if runner interferes with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball. The definition of a batted ball does not state the point at which a batted ball is no longer a batted ball.
Speaking ASA, 8-7-J-4 says...

Intentionally with any defensive player having the opportunity to make an out with the deflected batted ball.

A batted ball becomes a deflected batted ball when the ball deflects off of the fielder or his/her glove. If the runner initially avoided contact by running behind the fielder and then ran into the fielder when they attempted to retrieve the deflected ball, you have interference only if its intentional. The runner did their job by giving the fielder the opportunity to field the batted ball. The fielder failed to do theirs. They failed to cleanly catch the ball. Once it becomes deflected you have a different rule in play. You can't by rule penalize the runner in this scenario. Intent is required.
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