Baserunner hit by batted ball

[lhrubin]

The situation is based loaded 2 outs. 2nd baseman is playing in. Runner going from 1st to second is hit by batted ball. Umpire rules the player is out. Coach protests saying the ball passed the 2nd baseman. We are playing under the National Federation of State High School Association Rules. What is the proper ruling?

[Rachel]

Was there anyone behind the runner who could have made an out?

[SC Ump]

If the ball had passed an infielder, other than the pitcher, and if in the umpire's opinion no other fielder had a chance to make an out, then the runner is not out and the ball remains live.

With a runner going from first to second, I would imagine the runner would not be near the secondbase man. It would seem to me that it would be more a question of where the first baseman was. (Unless some type of funky shift was on.) Regardless, it is still back to the question of whether the umpire ruled the ball had passed an infielder or not.

I think the it would have been proper for a coach to ask the umpire, "Did the ball pass an infielder?" If the answer is yes, the coach could ask, "Did another fielder have a chance to make an out?" If the answer was no, the coach could then register a protest.

[NSABlue]

SC Ump nailed it.