[greymule]

I wouldn't think there would be much of anything to learn from MLB on crashing that could be applied to amateur softball. Maybe I'm missing your point.

I'm not trying to find a parallel with MLB. It was just yesterday's crash that got me thinking about how that play would be called in ASA. In MLB, going out of your way to deliberately crash into a catcher who doesn't have the ball is not technically illegal, though it does violate "etiquette" and will provoke retaliation.

My only question was, In ASA, can the umpire declare the runner out if he commits such a violation before he touches home plate?

Should be in rule 8, section 7 (The runner is out if...). My interpretation is that a deliberate crash at any time, live ball or dead ball awarded bases, results in that player being out and possibly ejected if the contact is flagrant.

Section 8-7 covers a crash when the fielder has the ball, not a deliberate crash into a fielder who does not have the ball.