NFHS softball rules --- What do you do if a retired runner interferes with a fielder attempting a play on another runner? The rule book says "after being declared out or after scoring, a runner intentionally interferes with a defensive player's opportunity to make a play on another runner, the ball is dead and the runner closest to home shall be declared out."
I understand that but what do you do if it isn't intentional, if the girl just interferes with a fielder after she was put out, and the fielder couldn't make a play on another runner. Dave

If the rule dictates the interference be intentional act, then I guess an unintentional act wouldn't be interference.

Of course, there is always that "umpire's judgment" thing. :)

Dave,
Mike's right. If it is not judged by an umpire to be intentional, it's not interference. The retired runner is not expected to "poof" & then reappear on the bench.

Steve M

That's true, but let's be honest. How many of us wish we could arrange that to happen? :)

I'd rather be able to get an out, especially if it's an over-macho AA.

I agree with the others that the rule is specific about intentional interference only on the retired runner, but I'm curious as to what prompted the question.

In other words, what does this "unintentional interference" look like? Was there a play or something that raised this question?

Just curious. :)

ME!!!!!!
But some of them - I just want them to disappear, period.

Steve M

Andy, yes we did have a play last night that prompted this question. Runner on first, ground ball forced runner at second base. She slid going in to second and then stood up and got in second baseman's way, not allowing the second baseman a play at first. She tried a play but had to rainbow her thtow so it was no where close to getting the girl at first. You could tell it wasn't intentional. Dave

If the fielder received the ball in time to put out a runner and couldn't get rid of the ball before the runner completed her slide and then stood up (even on a pop-up slide), the only way there is a double play is if the BR is my dead 102 year-old grandmother.

Good point - for there to be interference, there has to be a play that is being interfered with.

How about this scenario then. Runner coming from first base into second. She slides into second hoping to throw the timing of the second baseman off as to not be able to complete the double play at first? The runner going into second would be retired because of the force. If there had been a runner on third base at the beginning of the play, and she hadn't scored at this time, would you rule her out? Dave

Not if it was a legal slide.

Shipwreck,

Here is where you get the controversy:<ul>Runner coming from first base into second is Ol' Slo' Jo'(sephine). She does not slide into second, in fact she never quite reaches second, she just keeps plodding toward 2nd, as F4 receives the throw and turns to relay to F3 for the DP. Now as F4 turns, she sees OSJo right in her throwing lane, so she hesitates, then side steps and throws around Jo to F3 much too late to complete the DP.</ul> So what's the call Fellas?

SamC

[Edited by SamNVa on Sep 17th, 2003 at 04:10 PM]

Tom, why wouldn't you rule the runner that was going from third to home out? The rule says if the retired runner intentionally interferes with a defensive player's opportunity to make a play on another runner, the runner closest to home would be declared out.
In my scenario this is what happened. Dave

Because a legal slide is legal contact. Because if the fielder at 2B still has the ball when the slide is underway either the fielder is the slowest player on the planet or the runner was already very close to the base and probably into her slide before the out was made.

Now, if she does a swipe with her feet at the fielder, or comes in cleats high, that's another matter.