softball

[Dougie]

I WAS BASE UMPIRE FOR HIGH SCHOOL GAME...
RUNNERS ON 2ND AND 3RD/2 OUT.
GROUND BALL TO SHORTSTOP WHO HAD TO MOVE TO HER LEFT TO MAKE THE PLAY..RUNNER ON 2ND MADE CONTACT WITH FIELDER..BALL WENT INTO CENTER FIELD...TWO RUNS SCORED.

I FELT THAT THE SHORTSTOP HAD MOVED INTO THE BASEPATH(&RUNNER) AND THAT IT WAS INCIDENTAL CONTACT...THE DEFENSIVE TEAM COACH ASKED IF I WOULD CHECK WITH BU TO SEE IF HE HAD A 'better look"...I AGREED...MY PARTNER FELT THAT IT WAS INTERFERENCE AND THAT WE SHOULD CHANGE THE CALL..SINCE I WAS NOT 100%SURE I WAS RIGHT..WE CHANGED THE CALL...MY QUESTIONS:1) DOES THERE HAVE TO BE CONTACT TO BE OFFENSIVE INTERFERENCE? 2)WHAT IF THE FIELDER, IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE PLAY...MOVE INTO THE BASERUNNER--NO CALL??OBSTRUCTION?? 3)UNLESS IT IS A FLAGRANT VIOLATION...DOESN'T THIS TYPE OF PLAY COME DOWN TO TOTAL-ABSOLUTE JUDGEMENT???
THANKS,
DOUGIE

[Andy]

I don't have the rulebok with me to quote, but your situation is definately interference on the baserunner. It is the baserunners responsibility to avoid interfering with a fielder attempting to make a play on the ball. To answer your questions directly:

1) No, there does not have to be contact to have interference. A baserunner stutter-stepping in front of a fielder to block their view of the ball can be ruled interference. Interference can also be verbal, for example, a fielder camped under a high fly ball to make the catch, an offensive player yells "I got it" just as the ball is coming down can be ruled as interference. There are other examples, but I think I made the point.

2)Interference. As I stated above, it is the baserunners responsibility to avoid a fielder making a play on the ball.

3) The judgement part of the call involves whether or not you believe that the fielder involved has a play on the ball. For your scenario, if the shortstop is shaded toward third base and the ball is hit sharply up the middle, would the shortstop have gotten there if there was no contact? If so, you have interference, if not you have either a no-call or obstruction.

This was a fairly simple explanation of this particular situation. There are other requirements and exceptions to the interference and obstruction rules. I recommend getting a rule book and studying these rules (and all the others, too).

There is also a forum on this site specifically for softball related questions. There are a lot of good umpires there with years of experience and knowledge. If you post this question there, you may get some more comments.