Infield-Fly Rule

[SamNVa]

Right on, Collin.

The infield fly rule is to protect the offense from an easy double play or even a triple play. On a fly ball to the infield, runners must stay on or close to their bases until the ball is touched or hits the ground. With runners on 1st and 2nd or bases loaded, it would be very easy for the defense to let the ball fall to the ground, then throw out two of the tagging runners and perhaps all three. By automatically calling the batter out, the force on the runners is removed.

In those cases when the likelihood of a double play is unlikely or unnecessary, e.g. with a runner on 1st only or two outs, the infield fly rule is not invoked.