Interference, or no? How many outs?

[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?

[RKBUmp]

Nothing.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by RKBUmp

Nothing.

^^^ This. And only this.

[BlueDevilRef]

Dead ball. Interference by retired runner. So, batter runner is out. This is 16U (high school) softball, not Major League Baseball.

[RKBUmp]

So now a runner cannot stay upright, cannot continue in a straight line to the base, cannot slide into the base and cannot turn out of the way without being called for interference in any situation?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by BlueDevilRef

Dead ball. Interference by retired runner. So, batter runner is out. This is 16U (high school) softball, not Major League Baseball.

Wrong. She did exactly as she is supposed to do. She cannot remain upright, cannot veer to the side.

[CecilOne]

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.

What is your call?

Was the play close at 2nd or was there a possible retired runner?
I guess that is what you are asking?

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Was the play close at 2nd or was there a possible retired runner?
I guess that is what you are asking?

The play at second was not particularly close, regular hammer out. The contact was made by R1 after she was retired.

This play generated a lot of discussion this week. I know, HTBT, and I'll post my ruling next post. I wanted to see what the board thought.

[umpjim]

Originally Posted by teebob21

The play at second was not particularly close, regular hammer out. The contact was made by R1 after she was retired.

This play generated a lot of discussion this week. I know, HTBT, and I'll post my ruling next post. I wanted to see what the board thought.

Does ASA softball have the same comment as OBR does regarding interference by a retired runner? Continuing to run the bases is not interference by that act alone. Sliding into a base is continuing to run the bases.

[RKBUmp]

Originally Posted by umpjim

Does ASA softball have the same comment as OBR does regarding interference by a retired runner? Continuing to run the bases is not interference by that act alone. Sliding into a base is continuing to run the bases.

I believe the statement in asa is continuing to run the bases after being put out and drawing a throw may be considered an act of interference.

[BoomerSooner]

I don't think there is a call to be made here (except for the out on the on R1), unless by chance the slide was malicious or illegal in some way. Without seeing the slide, my first inclination is to assume it is a routine slide where the play is close enough for the runner to justify sliding.

That said, after reading the OP again, I could see an interpretation of the play that has the runner initiating the slide late (as in too close to the bag such that it is interpreted as malicious) or unnecessarily sliding (as in the runner had time to stop and peel away or kneel to get avoid interfering). In those cases, you could call interference. My gut is still telling me this wasn't one of those instances and thus not interference.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by RKBUmp

I believe the statement in asa is continuing to run the bases after being put out and drawing a throw may be considered an act of interference.

This applies if she runs to a base AFTER being put out and someone throws the ball to try to put her out again. Nothing like this scenario.

[BlueDevilRef]

If it was bang bang at the bag, I'd be inclined to agree with most of you to play on. But I read and OP has verified, runner had time to not make contact. So, again, I've got two outs and with the one on the board, that makes three.

[RKBUmp]

Where does the OP say anything about he runner having time to avoid contact? F4 received the ball from f6 and was turning to throw when contact was made. Mayeb 3/4 of a second tops?

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by BlueDevilRef

If it was bang bang at the bag, I'd be inclined to agree with most of you to play on. But I read and OP has verified, runner had time to not make contact. So, again, I've got two outs and with the one on the board, that makes three.

How long would a player have to "turn" the play at second base? This act should take no longer than a second tops from when she steps on the base in possession and she has turned away from the base. How long does it take a runner to initiate a slide and slide into the base, that action, even at the top levels of baseball and softball takes longer than it should take turning the ball once you touch the base. Once you initiate a sliding action, it is very difficult to pull out of a slide and is actually a danger risk to do so.

Again, this is a HTBT play, but barring any other action that I am not reading from this situation I have nothing but a force out at second base.