Quote:
Originally Posted by azbigdawg
The play was judged NOT to be obstruction. Since it was not, the thought process changed to Rule 12.13.......
thoughts on that? thoughts on the hole in the rule? (If you think there is one?)
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There is a hole. As I mentioned before, nothing specifically found in the NCAA rulebook covers the situation where the runner flagrantly collides into a fielder who is not in possession of the ball, but is not guilty of obstruction since she's either about to receive the throw or the throw takes her into the runner's path (as described in A.R. 12.13.3.2).
Frankly, if the NCAA really wants to eliminate flagrant collisions, then there should be something in 12.13 that calls for an out here, as this umpire ruled. Since no out is allowed under 12.13 except for the situation where a fielder has the ball and is waiting to make a tag, then a safe call has to be ruled.
All that said, there is another rule, 12.13.4, that one could argue could be used as a precedent. It penalizes a runner with an out and ejection if she slides with malicious intent. There are no exceptions dealing with obstruction, caught throw, etc. Unfortunately, it only covers slides, nothing else.