Runner gets hit by the ball

[Zoochy]

Runners on 1st and 2nd. Batter hits a hard grounder right back at the pitcher. The pitcher reaches to his right and deflects the ball towards the shortstop. Before the ball gets to the shortstop, the ball contacts the runner.
Dead ball or play on?
This was a softball game. Is the rule different for different levels of play?

[bisonpitcher]

Once the ball is touched by a defensive player, the runner is not penalized for being hit by the batted ball, ball is in play. Exception would be if the runner intentionally contacted ball to keep the defense from making a play. Also if the runner is hit after it passes an infielder other than the pitcher and no other infielder can make a play, then you play on. Rule is same in all levels of play, both softball and baseball as far as I know.

[LakeErieUmp]

Bison - for the benefit of coaches who may be looking at this board to learn the rules of the game (yeah, I live in a fantasy land) do you really mean that "interfering" with a ball that has deflected off an infielder other than kicking it puts the runner out? That is not my reading of 7.09(k) OBR.

[bisonpitcher]

I was talking about kicking, however, if a runner intentionally slapped a ball away from the infielder in this situation, I would still have interference based on the fact that the runner intentionally hindered the ability of the fielder to make a play (like A-Rod slapping at the ball a couple of years ago).

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by bisonpitcher

Also if the runner is hit after it passes an infielder other than the pitcher and no other infielder can make a play, then you play on.

Not quite right - see the recent thread on this issue. Runner hit by a batted ball (not a deflected ball) is almost always out. The exception is when he's hit right behind a fielder.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Not quite right - see the recent thread on this issue. Runner hit by a batted ball (not a deflected ball) is almost always out. The exception is when he's hit right behind a fielder.

Except different codes have different interps of this. And softball (as referenced in the OP) might also be different.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by Zoochy

Runners on 1st and 2nd. Batter hits a hard grounder right back at the pitcher. The pitcher reaches to his right and deflects the ball towards the shortstop. Before the ball gets to the shortstop, the ball contacts the runner.
Dead ball or play on?
This was a softball game. Is the rule different for different levels of play?

You've been given the answer to this one ... but for future reference, if you have a softball question, ask it on the softball board - the rules in MANY cases will be different.