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Originally Posted by BretMan
Note that the rule prohibits the B/R from interfering with "a dropped third strike", which is the ball itself, not the catcher. Also note that "intent" doesn't appear as any part of the rule.
It is my understanding that for both FED and ASA softball, if the rebounding, uncaught third strike hits the batter that should always be ruled interference.
(And that is just my current "understanding", based on past discussions about this topic and without he benefit of really digging through the books as research for this post. If my understanding is wrong, the rest of this post will be fairly moot!)
(snip for brevity)
If memory serves, IrishMafia (Mike) submitted a rule change to ASA last year to allow us to judge the B/R's intent on this play and protect her from interference. His proposal was shot down.
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I picked the wrong year to try and involve a rule change which introduced the word intent into an interference scenario.
However, there is still one thing to remember. The umpire still has the responsibility of declaring interference. The ball hitting the batter is not necessarily INT. There still must be a valid play to be made with which to interfere.
If the ball gets by and the catcher and pitcher turn and head toward the 3B side of the plate while the ball bounces back an hits the BR on the 1B side of the plate and there isn't another fielder in the vicinity to put the BR out, with whom did the BR interfere?