[DTQ_Blue]

Here is a play I have rehashed a few times since it happened a couple of nights ago. I’m BU. Runner at first, F4 playing deep and I’m in B right off her shoulder. Ball is hit directly at her but slow enough that to make a play at 1B she has to charge the ball hard and field it inside the runner’s path. Considering that she was in a deep F4 position, she needed to cover about 6 or 7 strides to make this play.

Only problem was that R1 had to cross directly in her path to the ball. F4 read the speed of the ball off the bat and recognized instantly that she had to charge it (good instincts). She started her charge and took about 2 strides, and then slowed her charge to allow R1 to pass. Because she slowed her charge, R1 and F4 never were close to colliding.

After R1 passes, F4 resumes full speed charge, picks up the ball, and sees that she has to throw immediately to F3 to get BR out. F4 has a momentary delay in getting it out of her glove, probably due to having to rush, allowing BR to just beat the throw to first. Were it not for the slowing of F4’s charge, F4 probably picks up the ball with enough time to make the play to F3 w/o undue pressure to rush the throw. I know, lots of probably’s.

I did not call INT. While I presume that had F4 continued to charge the ball, there would have likely been a clear basis for interference (possibly a collision), because F4 chose to yield well before a collision would have occurred, I would have had to base an INT call on a presumption on what probably would have happened.

I’m new enough at this that I’d appreciate comments.

I’ve commented on this before, as this is the first year I’m getting a lot of BU work in my HS games. Those girls are big and fast and in the small area of the 60’ field, they can get in each other’s way very easily.

Mike