Is it fan interference?

[jimpiano]

Originally Posted by Steve M

Mark,
While that is a kind & caring ruling, would you cite the rule which allows for this ruling? Certainly, kill the play if the ball has not been batted - but that's not the case here. F5 may or may not have had a play on the batted ball - and you may get away with something like your ruling in league play. I don't think you can justify that ruling for championship play.

Agreed

The OP defies common sense but, nevertheless, it states that the "Crack of the bat" was FOLLOWED by the fan throwing a ball onto the field. It is hard to fathom how F5 could have been distracted by the lob of a ball to his left when a "laser" was coming practically straight at him.

There is, however, no good reason, nor a provision, in the rules to stop the play after the ball was struck by the batter.