NFHS R8-S4-A1g(1): Running Lane Interference

[ilyazhito]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

NFHS Baseball Rules:

SITUATION: B/R hits a ground ball deep in the hole to F6. F6’s throw to F3 is not on a straight line from his throw’s release point to 1B but is on a straight line that requires F3 to step in Fair Territory toward HP while remaining in contact with 1B. The B/R runs the entire distance from HP to 1B in Fair Territory and makes contact with F3 as F3 is attempting to catch F6’s throw causing F3 to drop the Ball.

QUESTION: Has the B/R committed Running Lane Interference?

AUTHOR’S RULING: Yes. R8-S4-A1g(1) is the governing Rule. Picture this play is absent B/R from the Play and ask the Question: Does F3 catch F6’s throw? If the Answer is Yes, then the B/R has committed RLI.

RULING: What say you?

MTD, Sr.

No. The runner's lane only applies on plays from the vicinity of home plate with throws to 1st base. The purpose of the lane is to ensure that the catcher (or other fielder around home plate) has the opportunity to make an unimpeded throw to 1st base. Fielders in other locations are less likely to be impeded in making a throw to 1st base, which means that the lane will not apply to them in the same way.

Because the lane only applies on throws from home to 1st, not the other way around, the walk-off fielder's choice in the Texas softball game, where the batter was hit in the head with a throw from F3, was completely legal.