[sbatten]

I had a play in a recent game and am now second-guessing myself, so I would appreciate your opinions/rule cites.

ASA, slow pitch. No outs, bases empty.

Batter hits a shallow popup directly in front of home plate -- ball goes up about 15 feet and comes down in fair territory a few feet in front of the batter's box.

Batter-Runner freezes, does not run, does not do anything but stand in the box.

F2 jumps up to try to catch the shallow popup, but BR is standing between her and the batted ball. F2 pulls up short behind home plate and it seemed obvious that F2 stopped because she didn't want to run into BR in the effort to field the ball.

The ball landed in fair territory but spun back and hit BR, still standing in the box. I called a foul ball (no interference).

F2 wanted interference and also asked if the rules would have permitted her to knock down the batter to go after the ball.

At the time I reasoned that this a nobody-is-at-fault situation -- similar to a bunt in which both the batter and catcher collide while doing what they are supposed to do. I explained to myself and the catcher that BR, by simply standing still, had not committed an act that would make me rule interference. I sold it to the catcher as best I could (given that I was immediately wondering if I had blown the call), and she let it go.

Now I am wondering if I should have thought about it a little longer and corrected my call by ruling interference on the batter-runner. I am not sure if there is language in the ASA book to support a non-action (BR standing still but blocking the catcher's attempt to field the batted ball) being treated as interference -- what do you have?

Thanks,
Scott