Incidental Contact

[BoomerSooner]

Originally Posted by Matt

Then you don't have a protected fielder. There doesn't have to be one.

There could have been a play on the ball up. Until it can be determined that the ball is definitely out of play, F3 might have been able to make a play. When the contact occurred the ball might have still been over the playing surface.

I would be prepared to call interference in this situation if the ball landed 10 feet inside the fence and I judge F3 had a chance to make the play, but if I call time immediately on contact and call the runner out for interference and the ball continues to drift and falls 10 feet outside the fence, I'd look a little foolish.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by BoomerSooner

There could have been a play on the ball up. Until it can be determined that the ball is definitely out of play, F3 might have been able to make a play. When the contact occurred the ball might have still been over the playing surface.

I would be prepared to call interference in this situation if the ball landed 10 feet inside the fence and I judge F3 had a chance to make the play, but if I call time immediately on contact and call the runner out for interference and the ball continues to drift and falls 10 feet outside the fence, I'd look a little foolish.

You still kill it immediately. Any potential catch does not occur. If the ball does drift out of play, you don't call the runner out.