obstruction

[Mountaineer]

I umpire almost every level of softball from LL, HS, ASA, NAIA & NCAA. I had a play tonight in HS fall ball I had never seen before. Since it was fall ball we work alone so it was all mine to sink or swim with. Here's the play:

R1 on 1st base with 2 outs. Batter hits ball into right/center field. R1 rounds 2nd heading for 3rd and the throw is a rope from the center fielder well before R1 gets to 3rd. She turns back to 2nd and is now caught in a run-down between 2nd and 3rd. In the meantime, the batter-runner has now achieved 2nd base and is proudly standing there. A defender chasing R1 toward 3rd throws the ball to the 3rd baseman and stops in the basepath. R1 now turns back toward 2nd and runs into the fielder and they both fall to the ground in a heap. The 3rd baseman comes and tags R1 out - I've clearly got obstruction. My question is: where do I put the runners??

I've asked several other umpires from the area here already tonight and have gotten several differing opinions. I put R1 on 3rd and actually thought I was wrong in doing so. I thought she should go back to 2nd but didn't know what to do with the batter-runner. I think I know the correct answer now, just wondered what you all think.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Award the obstructed runner only the base she would have earned if not obstructed. Sounds like 2B should be the award. Move the BR back if you have to, but the presence of BR at 2B doesn't grant the obstructed runner an extra base.

Without the obstruction, offense had two runners at 2B. They need to be glad they got out of the predicament without an out being recorded.

[debeau]

Hold on the BR is legally entitled to be at 2nd so you cant put her back .
Plant the tagged runner at 3 otherwise you are penalising the team not at fault .

[Steve M]

As has already been said - remove the effect of the obstruction with the award - that puts R1 back on 2B and returns the BR to 1B.

The BR is not entitled to 2B as R1 never "gave up the rights to 2B" by making it to 3B.

[chuck chopper]

I'm with Steve. Obstructed runner gets the base she was headed for and that would push the trailing runner back to 1st.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by chuck chopper
I'm with Steve. Obstructed runner gets the base she was headed for and that would push the trailing runner back to 1st.

Cannot speak for NFHS, but..

Put me on the 2B list.

If an OBS runner is awarded a base which is occupied at the time the ball is ruled dead, the obstruction pushed that runner forward, so I don't see why the enforcement of the same rule wouldn't do the same going the other way.

The only thing for sure about this play is the obstructed runner cannot be put out between 2nd and 3rd you then award the ob runner the base you thought they would have attained had there not been obstruction this would apply to R2 also if R1 was put out on the delayed dead ball play.

[Skahtboi]

I agree with all who award the obstructed runner second.

[Mountaineer]

I see both sides of the issue and know people that I trust that are actually on opposite sides of this one - I think it's a good situation to discuss but difficult to really decide in my opinion.

To move the runner now on 2nd back to 1st is, in a sense, penalizing her and her team for the defensive mistake. I struggle putting R1 on 3rd, but I still struggle putting the batter-runner on 1st. Everyone I talk to says, that's easy - here's what you do and then tell me something different from everyone else. I've got a call into our NCAA assigner to see what she says, but I'm betting it's something yet different again.

The best I've heard yet was that I am protecting R1 back to 2nd base which is technically hers until she reaches 3rd. And even though the BR is standing on 2nd, 1st base is still hers and I'm protecting her back to 1st. Does that makes sense?

I'm no less confused today than I was yesterday when I was walking back to the plate talking to myself about the play!

[DaveASA/FED]

Mountaineer,
I do understand what you are saying, you took that double away from that poor girl! But the way I think of it is this, the OBS with R1 being put out stops the play. So now I have to rule on the OBS (this is TOTAL HTBT and judgement), I think everyone could agree that since she was headed to 2nd you should give her 2nd (at least assume this) once you send R1 back to 2nd you have to send R2 (batter) back to 1st. At least that is the way I look at it, OBS sets where R1 goes, if it affects R2 then I do what I have to to get R1 where they should be.

Just my thought, and you aren't really punishing the offense, a runner safe on 2nd is better than an out! I have an easier time if I think of it in stages, R1 was obstructed so I rule on that, that is making it right for what the defense did to her (OBS). Then if R2 gets bumped back a base well that does suck, but it is the right thing to do judging by my ruling on the OBS.

[streamdoc]

I agree with Dave. I can't see anyway that you would award 3rd base to R1 since she was obstructed heading back towards 2nd. She had given up trying to get to 3rd and was trying to get to 2nd. Giving her 3rd would be foolish. Since you can't have two runners legally occupy the same base, R2 must return to 1st. If the coach continues to argue, tell him "fine, if she's (R2) on 2nd at the time the pitch leaves the hand, I'll call her out for leaving 1st early" and see what he would like you to do at that point. My guess, he'll take runners on 1st and 2nd.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by Mountaineer
To move the runner now on 2nd back to 1st is, in a sense, penalizing her and her team for the defensive mistake.

For this to be penalizing the offense, you would have to assume that had there been no obstruction, that R1 would have eventually made to safely to 3rd.

You are not penalizing the offense at all by returning R1 to 2B and the BR to 1B. If fact the opposite, - you are still protecting the offense, since if R1 HAD safely returned to 2B, there is a very good chance the BR would have been tagged out.

[IRISHMAFIA]

I think you need to remember that a runner owns a base not forced to leave until s/he is either put out or safely touches the next base.

Another way to look at it is, if R1 successfully returned to 2B and the defense tagged both runners with the ball, who are you going to rule out?

IOW, R2 had no right to 2B so moving her back shouldn't be a problem.

[debeau]

Everytime I read the rule book something "new " pops up
I have changed my mind .
The obstructed runner and each runner affected by the obstuction will be given the base in the umpires judgement they would have got had there been no obstruction .

So had there been no obstruction the lead runner would have attained base 2 and the trailing runner would have to return to 1 .

[Mountaineer]

OK - here's the official word from NF and ASA. One of our interpreters is tied in fairly high up and got these responses (hasn't heard from NCAA yet).

NF - runners end up on 2nd & 1st. The premise being that we are protecting the runners to their rightful base. Even though the BR has legally touched the base, it still belongs to R1 until she reaches 3rd or is put out. Since she was going TO second when the obstruction occured - that's where she should end up.

ASA - runners end up on 2nd and 3rd. They see the BR as having legally attained 2nd and you cannot take that away from her. That would then force R1 to move to 3rd.

Unfortunately, this is (IMO) the biggest problem in softball - continuity in the rules. We need the governing bodies to band together and develop a set of rules that can be used across all spectrums of the game.

So technically - everyone is correct and everyone is wrong. Scratch your heads but be thankful you umpire softball instead of that communist sport baseball! LOL!

Larry Ledbetter