Interference, or no? How many outs?

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by teebob21

ASA 16A. Three umpires. Loser's bracket game, eight teams remaining on Saturday. I am U3.

1 out, R1 on 1B. A relatively routine grounder is hit to F6 and thrown to 2B to F4 for the force out. As F4 turns and begins to release the ball from her glove to throw to 1B, R1 slides into 2B, contacting F4's feet (still on the top of the base) with her feet, and knocking F4 to the ground hard.

EDIT for clarification: The BR is still two+ steps from 1B when this occurs.

What is your call?

This is a HTBT situation, but it does raise a couple questions as well. You said the fielders foot was still on the base, correct. Was the slide a normal slide into the base, or was she sliding attempting to overslide the base and contact the fielder.

Based on what I read as the description of the play, I have nothing on this play at any level. She was doing exactly what a runner is expected to do, slide into the base so she is out of the way of a potential throw to first base.

As and umpire (who worked the CWS) once told me, a runner can't simply disappear. As long as she did nothing to intentionally contact the fielder (leg up, slide away from the base, ect), I have nothing.