Catcher Obstruction/Batter Interference

[josephrt1]

Here is my other play that happened to me this week.

10U select game. 2nd time I had this team in the same day. Number 9 batter with terrible swing mechanics. Lefty. Every time she swung at the ball she is bringing her foot towards the catcher and bat wayyyyy back towards the catcher. In all but her last at bat, no contract between catcher and batter. In last at bat, bases loaded, 1 out, 2 strikes. To start the pitch catcher and batter are a good distance apart. I would not have predicted contact. Pitch down the middle of the plate, batter takes a giant step back and reaches back with the bat and gets all of the catcher’s glove. She was still in the batter's box.

I called batter's interference. The catcher didn't reach for the ball or do anything to initiate the contact.

But reading the USA Rule Book, RS 8 says the catcher must, at all times, still avoid catcher’s obstruction as the batter has the right to the entire batter's box.

RS 24 also talks about batter interference on a follow-through or second swing. (Not what happened in my game). But the batter is called out for interference if it is intentional. This was not intentional, just very bad swing mechanics!

Pretty sure I should have called it obstruction but it was entirely batter's fault.