Why Wasn't This Interference?

[UES]

Originally Posted by umpjim

Not the OP but, with a fair bunted ball about halfway down the 1B line, do you require the pitcher to get trucked or can he pull up because the runner is running straight at and over the ball.
The definition of Offensive Interference does not even have the word contact in it.

Contact is not required, HOWEVER, 99x out of 100, interference calls on batted balls occur when a runner makes CONTACT with a fielder who is in the immediate act of fielding the ball. I'm sure there's a play or two when interference can be called on batted balls WITHOUT contact (ie. like some are saying about the original play in question), but I can't really think of any.