Rule question

[Dakota]

Originally posted by UmpireErnie
The key here is that the "CR-to-be" who has entered the feild must actually interfere (in the judgement of the umpire, of course) with an opportunity to make an out. Her wrongful presence on the feild does not automatically constitute interference, nor would it be a reason to kill the play until the umpire judged that interference had taken place.

The PU may not have been asleep after all, he/she may just not have believed that the "CR-to-be" caused F2 to hold up her throw. Can argue that all day but it is a judgement call all the way.

I almost agree with this. NFHS 2-32 requires that the fielder be "attempting to make a play" -- play, not out. For interference to be ruled, there must be a play that was interfered with. Merely getting in the way of a defensive player who might have eventually made a play is not interference.

As described, this situation sounded like interference... "Catcher begins to throw to third base..."

Depending on what "begins to throw" means and what the PU saw, this may have been judged a nothing.