Quote:
Originally Posted by chapmaja
...BUT then you do run into the question of illegal contact because in the OP the defensive player does have possession of the ball at the time contact is made.
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You're muddying the waters when it comes to contact between a runner and a fielder who has possession of the ball.
We've already covered that, since this was a deflected batted ball, ASA 8.7.J.4 applies when it comes to interference. And for that to happen, the runner must show clear intent that she meant to interfere.
ASA 8.7.Q and RS 13 talk about crashes. For that to happen, a fielder has to have possession of the ball and be waiting to apply a tag on the runner. As described, the runner ran into the fielder almost simultaneously when the fielder fielded the ball. So this rule doesn't apply. In fact, the play almost sounds more like what is covered by RS 13G, when a runner, fielder, and ball arrive almost at the same time, which is considered incidental contact.
So I'm at a loss when you feel that it is illegal for a runner to run into a fielder who just gains possession of the ball. There's nothing illegal about it in this particular play.