Quote:
Batter hits a high bouncing grounder up the 1st base line. Ball is tracking parallel to the line, about 2 feet in fair territory.
Pitcher runs to field the ball. He jumps up in the air and catches the ball at the top of a high hop. He lands directly in the base path, right in front of the runner, with the ball.
The batter has no time to avoid contact, so he (in my opinion) instinctively crossed his arms in front of his body, and plows into the pitcher, who is attempting to tag him.
I talked with my partner, and we both agreed that the pitcher fielded the ball outside the running path of the batter, so the batter did not interfere with the defense fielding the ball. That the pitcher stepped into the batters running path, at a point that did not give the batter the opportunity to avoid contact, so we did not have Intentional/Malicious Contact on the batter. So the runner was Safe.
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As with most of these type plays we would have to be there, but IMO "train wrecks" at first base are normally caused by a bad throw from say F6 which takes F3 into the path of the on coming runner and they both collide. Unless one of the parties did something "extra" that is ruled a 'train wreck"
Your play is different. My question to you would be this?
Was F1 the protected fielder?
I would say from your OP that F1 was the protected fielder and in that case I have
1. TIME
2. That's interference
3. The batter turned runner out
In addition if the fielder meaning F1 has the ball and was applying a tag attempt and the batter tunrned runner "plowed" into him, then even if you didn't rule Interference, I would have
1. TIME
2. Malicious Contact
3. The BR out
In HS, FED does not want runners "plowing into one another'. In NCAA the terminology would be "was the collision avoidable"
If as you say you felt that the BR's intention was not to injure you would not necessarily have to eject. It's no different, then F2 standing at the plate waiting to apply a tag and R3 comes barreling or plowing into F2 and the ball dislodges. You would call an out on that play.
Bottom line: As soon as we judge which fielder is protected on a batted ball, the protection remains in tact unless the fielder boots the ball (more than a step and reach away) or the fielder releases the ball.
Sounds like Interference would have been the correct call.
Pete Booth