Obstruction or Interference? Tricky call

[Durham]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

Show us where.

NCAA 6-2-f. A fair-hit ball touches an umpire before touching a fielder and beforepassing all infielders, other than the pitcher, who have a reasonable chance to make a play;
PENALTY for f.—The ball is dead and the batter is awarded first base with a single. Runner(s) advance if forced.
A.R.—If a fair-hit ball touches an umpire after having passed a fielder other than the pitcher, or having been touched by a fielder, including the pitcher, the ball is in play.

NCAA 8-2-g. If a fair ball touches a base runner in fair territory before the ball has touched or passed all infielders, other than the pitcher, who have a reasonable chance to field the ball, the ball is dead, the runner is out and the batter-runner is awarded first base;

NCAA 8-5-d. The runner interferes intentionally with a throw or thrown ball, or interferes with a fielder who is attempting to field a batted ball. If a double play is likely, and the runner intentionally interferes with the fielder who is attempting to field the ball, both runner and batter-runner shall be declared out;
A.R. 1—If two fielders attempt to field a batted ball, the umpire shall determine which fielder is more likely to make the play and only that fielder is protected from interference by the runner.
A.R. 2—If a batted ball is deflected by the pitcher and another fielder has a legitimate play to retire a runner, the fielder is protected and a collision by a base runner results in interference.

I like this last AR because I think the writers of the rule never invisioned the pitcher deflecting it and then fielding it with the possibility of a collision. My entire bone of contention on the play is that the runner ran into the pitcher while he was down on a knee wither with the ball in his hand or in his immediate reach. He did not make contact with the runner and had it not been for the runner, he never would have touched him. The object of the defensive part of the game is to get the ball and put guys out. If he gets their first and is down on a knee doing his job, isn't that the object of the entire game?

Also, working 2 man from the working area on this play you are probably looking through the pitchers back. You don't have super slow motion or even real time video to look at on the play. You can't tell if he has the ball or not but he is on top of it. What would you call? In a game I am gonna grab the non ****ty end of this stick and get INT. I'll get an arguement, but not a protest. Espeacially when I am not 100% if he has the ball in his hand or not. I'll let you know what the ruling ends up being.