Dropped third strike interference?

[WestMichBlue]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

There is a baseball mindset that you don't penalize the offense if the situation was created by the defense failing to make a play. There is no softball rules basis to ignore a rule that applies if the defense first didn't make a possible play.

Good point for a general rule, and specifically for the OP here. However . . . .

For years umpires have used the common sense application of a "step and a reach" to determine whether or not to protect a defender from interference when they bobbled the first attempt to field a batted ball. When a pitcher boots a ground ball towards the 1B line, chases it and collides with the B-R, obstruction (penality on the defense) is going to be your call. A couple years ago NFHS hard coded that into their rulebook.

Also, for many years ASA and NCAA have not protected a second fielder from interference after the initial defender deflected a batted ball. NFHS also has that rule now.

So there are situations when a defender fails to execute a play, they are not protected from subsequent interference by an offensive player.

WMB