Sticky situation at 1st

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA
That would be a reversal of what I've witnessed in past NCAA clinics. In those, they wanted the fielder protected forever.

In one of the first NCAA clinics I attended, there was a given scenario that had F5 have the ball run up her arm and behind her into foul territory. The fielder dove backwards for the ball and into a runner retreating to 3B. The prescribed call was INT on the runner.

In my mind that would be a terrible call. Defense boots their opportunity to make a play and incidentally then bumps the runner legally returning to 3rd so they won't be tagged. Umpire calls "Time. Interference. Runner is out."

Mike, I'll bet you've never made that call. Holy Smokes! That would create a brouhaha.

Only if interference were intentionally committed by the runner would I have anything besides a fielding error.

Check NFHS casebook play 2.21.1 Situation C. F2 fumbles a third strike into the batter's path. Batter unintentionally kicks ball away from F2. I would say this is even a little more serious than a minor/secondary collision caused by the fielder. Correct ruling from the casebook is no-call - live ball.