Ruling Question -- Ground rule double or homerun?

[MT 73]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Based on the question, I remember a discussion from a couple years ago.

Fly ball down the line. Fielder is clearly in fair territory when she is attempting to make a running catch. The ball hits her glove and she bobbles it before running into the fence on the foul side of the line. As she hits the fence, the ball pops up and goes over the fence on the foul side of the line. The umpires ruled it a 4 base award. The DC coach was then ejected for arguing it was a 2 base award because it did not clear the fence over fair territory.

The association used this as an example of a tough call. The umpires had to report the ejection to the state association. The issue of the ejection was that the original call was incorrect.

Were the umpires correct in a 4 base award. I personally felt they were incorrect and it should have been a two base award.

Was the ball over fair or foul territory when it was first touched?
( Yes, her body may have been in fair territory but was her glove over the foul line when she touched the ball?)
If fair it is a 2 base award.
If foul it is a foul ball.
BTW--this is NOT a tough call.
It is basic.
My daughter once hit a long shot that hit the foul pole well above the fence and the opposing coach argued that it was a foul ball.
One of the umpires felt it was a live ball because it bounced back into left field.
It took the umpires 20 minutes and several phone calls to rule it a home run.
Really guys--learn the damn rules before making a fool of yourself.