Defense Giving Way or Giving up on Play - Interference

[JPaco54]

[QUOTE=UmpJM (nee CoachJM);598765]Mrumpiresir,

While you don't NEED contact for interference in this sitch, it sure helps. In order to call the Int. here you would need to further judge that there WOULD have been contact had the runner's actions FORCED the fielder to abort his attempt to field the batted ball - rather than the fielder stopping because he thought their MIGHT be contact.


When I observed F4 pull up at the last minute due to what I judged was his attempt to avoid getting hit by R1 even though R1 was trying to avoid contact, we determined that this was impeding F4 from fielding the ball. Therefore INT. There was much discussion after the call and this is where the coaches deemed NO INT due to the fact F4 ABORTED or Gave UP on his attempt. I see nothing in the rules that refers to a fielder "Aborting or Giving up" on a ball that would negate INT.