Retired runner interference?

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by shipwreck

I had a NFHS varsity game the other day. Runner on first and defense tries to turn a double play. The runner going from first to second is plunked by the ball when she is only halfway to second base. I did not rule interference on the retired runner but maybe I should have. The rule says if a retired runner interferes the runner closest to home would be declared out. I didn't know what the declared runner could do since she was only halfway between first and second but maybe that does not come into consideration.

My concern is what did she do to interfere? She was present on the field of play, and got hit with a thrown ball.

There is a casebook play that clearly says if the retired runner hinders the fielders attempt to make a play, in the umpires judgment, it is interference.

This is where I have a problem with these rules. Simply running base to base, should not be ruled interference, assuming no other action to interfere is made.

Here is an example of why this is an issue.

R1 on first, B2 hits a ground ball to F6, who passes over but fails to touch second base then attempts to throw to first base for the double play. R1, thinking she is out at second stops running and attempts to get out of the way of the throw. The throw gets B2 at first. F3, realizing B2 wasn't called out at 2nd base, runs over and tags R1 for the second part of the double play. We have allowed this to happen because we penalize the runner for running between bases and getting hit with a throw, when there is a chance that the play may not be out (we have to give some reaction time for an umpires call on the play, the runner to hear the call, and react to the call.)

If the runner clearly does something to hinder a throw for a double play, then absolutely it should be interference, but simply asking a player to disappear isn't realistic IMO.