Runner hit by deflected batted ball

[BriefcaseJohnny]

Originally Posted by Manny A

OMG, the dreaded "do-over"! Say it isn't so!



The "other than the pitcher" clause deals with a batted ball that passes a fielder and then hits the base umpire. If it passes the pitcher and then hits the umpire before it passes an infielder, it's umpire interference. "Other than the pitcher" has nothing to do with a ball hitting a base runner, and it definitely doesn't apply to deflected balls, even if it hits the umpire.

Now, there are some organizations (not sure if there are any in baseball, but softball comes to mind) that will rule interference on the runner when that runner hinders a fielder fielding a ball deflected off the pitcher. But that's not what happened here.

So the initial call of the batter out at first should have stood?