Originally posted by spots101
Batter bunts and beats the throw to 1B. A few steps after the base in foul territory, the ball, after being thrown in the dirt by F2 and not caught by F3, rolls between the legs of the BR where he unintentionally kicks it with his foot. He had no chance of getting out of the way because he didn't see the ball until it was too late.
I called a dead ball (runner stays at first) because the kick was unintentional yet it wasn't fair to the defense to allow the runner to continue running after the kick. There was no one else on base but if there was, say a runner between 2B and 3B, would you send him back to the last base touched at the time the ball was kicked, which was 2B?
In order for interference to be called on thrown balls we need INTENT. You said B1 UNINTENTIONALLY kicked the ball, therefore, you do not KILL play. By what rule are you killing play?
If F2 makes an errant throw, and the runner does something unintentional, ball is live and in play.
it wasn't fair to the defense to allow the runner to continue running after the kick.
I disagree. it was the DEFENSE who caused this. F2 made a bad throw (according to your thread, the throw was in the dirt and not handled by F3).
The applicable rule is OBR 7.09(L) or for HS FED rule 8-4-2g
Pete Booth
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Peter M. Booth
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