I was working with my buddy on a girls FP league game using ASA rules. He is out in the field behind shortstop. There is no one out and a runner at third.
Sharp hit ball on the ground to third baseman. She makes a good play at third and starts the motion to throw to first. At the moment she is about to start her throwing motion the runner at third comes off of third base and starts clapping at her yelling "HEYYYY!". The 3rd baseman turns, after facing towards first, and looks at the runner at third. She turns back towards first and throws wildly over the first baseman's glove.
My partner, an experienced umpire who I have worked many tough games with, yells dead ball and calls the runner out at third for verbal interference and puts the batter-runner at first.
The coach's are confused and say they have never heard of such a thing. We talk after the game and I tell him that I knew there was such a rule but it isn't called very often. He tells me that if the third baseman had thrown the batter-runner out at first he probably would not have called the interference.
POE #32 in ASA rulebook defines interference as "an act of an offensive player which impedes, hinders, or confuses a defensive players attempting to execute a play". Verbal distraction is included.
A lot of coach's think this is just part of the game. Even the team it benefited was confused about it. How many of you make this call?
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