Every high level game of FP I have ever seen or been a part of, this is exactly how the coverage is handled.

Think you'd better rethink that, Tom. F4 covering 1B is the norm in the games I've seen.

Apparently, the same planet most posters, except you, are on. I'm surprised that with as much softball that is played in ND that you even raised this issue.

Even when playing the SP game at 2B, I would always be heading toward 1B for a possible play on any ground ball to my left.

BTW, where I'm from, the SS always, ALWAYS takes the throw from the pitcher at 2B unless in a very drastic shift taking them into the outfield area.

I'm thinking a littleball guy slithered in here.

two things must happen for obstruction:
fielder doesn't have ball
runner hindered by fielder without ball
you have obstruction here

Better wording; Fielder blocks the runner's path while not in possession of the ball, and the runner does something as a result such as alters her path, slides early, or any other thing that the umpire felt she would not have done had the fielder not been blocking her path.

To resume the thread hijack...

My daughter had a first year coach in rec this year. He tried to tell her that as F1 she should be covering 1B when F3 comes off the bag. She and I both looked at him like he had two heads.

Yes, in fast pitch softball at least, of course F4 covers 1B when F3 comes off of it, bunt or normal.

I think that in fast pitch it would make sense that F4 would cover the bag when F3 comes off to field the ball. My experience has been that in slow pitch this is rarely done. From what I have seen this mainly comes from the fact that the F4s play very deep in SP (often 20 feet behind what would be a straight line from 1st to 2nd) and even the F3s are usually off the line and 10-15 feet behind the bag. This means that not only will the F4 have to cover all the ground from their position to 1st, but also go behind the F3 who is fielding the ball. This coupled with the fact that the F1 is usually backing away from home plate and will be going toward the ball hit toward right field makes this a much shorter run for the F1 than for the F4. For F4 to cover in most of the SP games I've seen they would have to try to go 70-75 feet, whereas the F1 is only having to go 45-50 feet to cover 1st. I've played more games at pitcher in SP than I've umpired (approx. 500 to 300) and I covered whatever bag was left when an infielder went after the ball; whether that was 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or even home if the catcher was making a play. (By the way I played most of those games in North Dakota - but I have seen the same thing done here in Illinois)

It may be done differently on some teams or if the F4 plays shorter, but I don't think it is uncommon.

It's Friday night and I was in the mood for steak. I guess the bet is off since there doesn't seem to be any takers. :mad: They grow cows in ND, don't they?

We raise cattle and we grow crops in North Dakota, we don't grow cows.

Do you eat crow?

If it's prepared properly. :D

I'd rather eat steak than see you eat this...:p

http://www.kojinshugi.com/wp-content/crow.jpg