Situation
 

Passed Ball
R1 on second, R2 on first both runners advance on the PB
Ball against screen and a fan kicks the screen to help F2 pick it up.
F2 picks it up but there is no play so she does not make a throw.

Could have turned into a mess.
Did the fan interfere? Isn't spectator interference "defined" as a fan reaching into the field of play and interfering? I don't know that we've met that with this play. But we are going to clear the backstop area and everyone is going to know exactly which fan necessitated that.

interesting play.
Since there was no play and the "help" from the fan didn't result in any advantage, I would not call interference. I would tell the fan not to do that again. If you didn't want to talk to the fan, which could turn into a mess, then you could tell the coach or school rep to tell the fan not to do that.
I'm curious on thoughts of other umps to see if spectator interference could be called in this case.

IMO the spectator has entered the field of play by kicking the backstop fence and pushing the ball, just as if he/she had reached through a hole in the backstop and pushed the ball with his/her hand. So this would be “spectator interference”. (It should probably be called “spectator obstruction” since the remedy more resembles obstruction.)

I suppose the argument would be that the fan has not “entered the field” because the fence is still between the fan and the field. My judgment would be that if the fans actions physically altered the play then that fan has “entered the field”. I can’t find anything in the rule book; this is simply my judgment. Assuming that:

The ball is dead at the moment the ball is kicked by the fan. The runners will be placed where the umpire feels they would have ended up if the interference had not occurred. In your post the runners had both already moved up and were not moving any further anyway so just kill the play, leave the runners where they are (now 2B and 3B), reset and play ball.

ASA POE 33F is pretty specific as to how to handle this, but interestingly enough I cannot find a single thing in the rule text to support it. ASA 8-5-L refers to a spectator interfering with a THROWN or FAIR BATTED ball. This is a pitched ball. POE 33F uses the words “enters the field and interferes with a PLAY” which could include a pitched ball.

NFHS 5-1-1g-1 says this is an immediate dead ball, but again I can’t find anything further on a pitched ball that is interfered with by a spectator. NFHS 8-4-3l deals with spectator interference with a THROWN or FAIR BATTED ball but not a pitched ball.

My thought is that in both ASA and NFHS the intent of the rules would be to treat a pitched ball that is interfered with by a spectator the same way as if it had been a thrown ball.

Rule 10. Everyone scores!

The first question is whether the spectator was helping the fielder (no rule) or interfering with the fielder retrieving the ball (spectator interference). If the latter, I might go with "the spectator has entered the field of play by kicking the backstop fence and pushing the ball"; or just use Rule 10 as mc suggested.

I kind of like "clear the backstop area and everyone is going to know exactly which fan necessitated that", but I can't afford another spectator sitch.

It was definitely a case of the fan helping the catcher. I believe it was the catcher's younger brother. I did not call anything at the time because there was no effect on the play.

The coach was already miffed at me since it was my fault that her pitcher couldn't throw strikes:confused: . I was getting beat to death because the catcher couldn't handle the ball. I probably should have dealt with the coach anyway but after the half inning, I simply informed the fan not to do that again because I would award bases. That ticked his parents off but if he is going to help the catcher make a play, something would need to be called. I really don't have a rule because a blocked ball sends runners to the last base touched and a pitched dead ball awards one base from the bases occupied. IS rule 10 the ASA "God Rule?" I don't have my rules at work is there an equivalent Fed rule? I seem to remember that the umpires can make judgments in areas not specifically covered by the rules.

I would use (NFHS Dead Ball Table):

BALL DEAD IMMEDIATELY

#5 - Spectator Interference - Award or Penalties - Umpire judgment in awarding bases or imposing penalty to nullify interference.

Since the runners advanced I would also have continued play. If they had not I would award them 1 base.

Don't talk to spectators, get the home coach or admin to do it.