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Originally Posted by Huskerblue
FED Rules Situation I witnessed this past weekend.
R1 and R2. Two outs. Base hit. Runner from 2nd scores on the play. The throw from the outfield hits R1 as he is sliding into home and deflects the ball towards the on-deck hitter. The on-deck batter in his attempt to get out of the way actually swats at the ball and knocks it straight down. R2 heads for home as he sees the ball deflected off of R1. The defense still manages to field the ball and throw home for out #3. I know this is interference on the on-deck hitter for intentionally contacting the ball. This should be an immediate dead ball for the interference, but is R2 out on the interference, or do we simply send him back to 3rd base?
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This is a HTBT call. If the on deck batter hit the ball in self defense you could have nothing, especially since the ball went straight down and actually gave an advantage to the defense.
Rule 3-2-3 seems to be the correct reference:
Art. 3... No offensive team personnel, other than the base coach, shall be near a base for which a runner is trying so that a fielder may be confused; nor be on or near the baseline in such a way as to draw a throw; nor shall the base coach or members of the team at bat fail to vacate any area needed by a fielder in his attempt to put out a batter or runner.
If a thrown live ball accidentally touches a base coach in foul territory, or a pitched or thrown ball touches an umpire, the ball is alive and in play. If the coach is judged by the umpire to have interfered intentionally with the thrown ball, or interferes in fair territory, the interference penalty is invoked.