Here's a play to think about....

[Andy]

Jr. College game played under NCAA rules:

R1 on second, attempts to steal on the pitch.
F6, playing in front of the runner, heads for third to cover.
F6 cuts in front of R1, causing R1 to break stride about 10 feet from third base.
F6 jumps to catch high throw from F2.
R1 takes an awkward slide into third and rolls over third into foul territory.
F6 catches the ball and comes down on top of R1 in foul territory, R1 is not in contact with third base, and F6 applies tag.

Your ruling? Any differences for FED, ASA, etc.?

I’ll post my ruling after a few responses.

[Steve M]

Jr college ball is fun. Not always really good, but it's fun.

I've got obstruction and protect to 3rd - all 3 codes.

I've got "about to receive", so no 'second' obstruction on this play under NCAA. R1 is out.

I might have obstruction under the others since it sounds like F6 did not have ball when slide was started. If so, dead ball & R1 now on 3B. If R1 was not obstructed a second time on this play, I've got an out.

[Andy]

Here is what I ended up ruling.

My first reaction was "OBS, protect to third base"
When the runner ended up in foul territory and was tagged by F6 as she came down with the ball, I killed the play and awarded the runner third base. I realize that the runner was past the base she was protected to, but I felt that the intial OBS caused the runner to take the awkward slide into third and caused her to roll into foul territory. I wasn't going to give the defense an out that was caused, in my judgement, by an OBS violation.

Thoughts and/or comments?

[IRISHMAFIA]

[QUOTE=Steve M]

I've got "about to receive", so no 'second' obstruction on this play under NCAA. R1 is out.

[QUOTE]

Steve,

How so? From the scenario offered, there is no way the ball was closer to the fielder than the runner at the time of OBS. Or, at least, that is the way I read it.

[Steve M]

Mike,
I'm picturing 2 separate "obstructions" on Andy's play. On the first, I have obstruction under everybody's rules and R1 is protected to 3rd. The second is when F6 jumps for the ball and R1 slides awkwardly. With this second, I'm picturing that ball & runner are about the same distance from the fielder - but the ball travels much faster, so I probably have "about to receive". College rules, with "about to receive", and that means no second obstruction.

Andy's ruling occurred to me when I first read the play. I'd have had to see that to be able to rule that way. 'Cuz I'm not at all sure that it would hold up to a protest with R1 going beyond 3B.

[AtlUmpSteve]

So far as I know, there is no direct rules basis to protect a runner beyond the awarded and/or protected base as a result of the obstruction. And, that's what we have here; she passed her protected base (third). In NCAA, there is absolutely not a 2nd obstruction, because they still use the theory of a wreck whenever the defense is "doing her job". But, even if there were, it still occurred before third, and doesn't extend her protection.

What I suspect could hold water is using the universal "meet in spirit of sportsmanship" and "shall not impose a penalty which rewards the offending team" rule in every rule set. It is unreasonable to allow F6 to obstruct without truly protecting the offense against what we judge to be the result of the obstruction.