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Old Mon Feb 01, 2016, 11:37pm
chapmaja chapmaja is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu View Post
This question came up at a clinic today.

The situation was in an NFHS game.

Two outs, fast runner on first base. B4 hits a gapper that rolls a ways because there is no fence. R1, after rounding second is involved in a collision with F6 and R1 goes down hurt. B4, continuing to run, passes R1 and heads to third. The relay from the outfield is bobbled and B4 continues on to home. An infielder gathers the ball, runs over and tags R1 who is still laying on the ground.

At this point, the umpires called a dead ball, and got together to discuss what they had.

They allowed B4 to score and awarded R1 home. At first there was some possibility that R1 would have to be carried off the field. The umpires told the coach that a substitute would be allowed to come in and run the awarded bases for the injured player. Ultimately, the injured R1 did manage to get up and touched 3rd and home to score the second run.

Checking NFHS 8-6, A runner is out when:
Art. 4 The runner physically passes a preceding runner before that runner has been put out. If this was the third out of the inning, any runs scoring prior to the out for passing a preceding runner would count. A runner(s) passing a preceding obstructed runner, as in 8-4-3b Penalty c, is not out.

Is there any requirement for the runners to score in sequence? I.E. would the subsequent runner (B4) be required to retreat their steps home, to third, to second, and then wait for R1 to touch her awarded bases? What if B4 had entered the dugout/DBT? Assuming there were no missed bases, could there be an appeal anywhere?

Looking at the ASA rule, there does not appear to be such an exception.

Thanx.
My opinion on this play is that, given the description of the play, all of the runners are getting home one way or another. The only way, I am not awarding home to the obstructed runner is if she is SO SLOW that a snail would beat her around the bases. Given the way this play is described, I find it very difficult to think that the runner who was obstructed would not have made it home absent the obstruction.

I would award the obstructed runner home and the batter run, who legally made it home, would retain that position at home.
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