Interference with Catcher

[WestMichBlue]

Originally Posted by 12UParent

Here is what I am thinking?????
1) batter erred in stepping out of the box and should not ever do this unless there is a play at the plate. The act of stepping out of the box puts her at risk for an interference call.
2) batter should have been called out, R1 back to 2nd, R2 back to 1st
3) play on

I appreciate hearing any of your thoughts...thanks.

There should not be any discussion on this. You got it right. Assuming the game was being played under USSSA rules, your rule quote is correct.

The umpire simply applied the wrong penalty, and the UIC backed him up, apparently without looking in the book. To be fair, it is easy to make a mistake when there are multiple penalties from a single infraction.

It actually is a terrible rule as it goes against the basic concept of interference - dead ball and invoke penalty. In USSSA you allow the play to continue and if a runner is put out, that runner stays out and the ball is live.

If you don't tag someone out, then you have a second decision. If runner is coming home she is out. If runner is stealing 2B or 3B then batter is out.

And if there are two outs, nothing else matters - the batter is automatically out.

Try and remember all that under fire in the game. Especially if the umpire calls NFHS in the spring, and ASA or USSSA or whatever else in the summer.

Finally - 12UParent - you did not say if R1 was tagged out. If so, then guess what? Umpire (and UIC) got it right! Live ball, R1 out on tag, interference ignored, and R2 stays on 2B.

WMB