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Old Mon Apr 01, 2013, 03:50pm
Manny A Manny A is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Lowcountry, SC
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FWIW, there is one kind of obstruction, under NCAA 9.4.2.9 when a fielder gets in the batter's line of vision to distract her, where a warning and an ejection for a subsequent violation does apply. So there are more than one "type" of obstruction that specifically requires, by rule, a warning. And this particular situation does follow with an ejection for a subsequent violation by the same player.

Also, obstruction violations listed under NCAA 9.4.2.1 through 9.4.2.5 do allow for umpires to award one base should a fielder be a repeat offender. While the Effect section for those situations does not specifically state that a warning is needed, you would logically conclude that a warning should be issued; otherwise, how would we know a defender is a repeat offender?

So, let's look at two specific situations under that group of rules. One involves a fielder intentionally altering her motion to field a batted or thrown ball to purposely obstruct the runner. The other involves a fake tag.

Umpires are allowed to eject players for unsporting behavior. If a player repeatedly violates these two types of obstruction, wouldn't you consider that unsporting behavior that would warrant an ejection?

Perhaps that's a stretch. Maybe it's more appropriate to deal with these repeated violations using 6.19.1.5 and declare a forfeit as opposed to ejecting the player. I just don't see where we should simply issue one-base awards for willful repeat violations by the same player.
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