Play at plate
 

Last night had a game between 2 very good teams. I was BU, ball hit to outfield. Throw home for play at the plate. Catcher had ball 5+ feet up third base line. As I turn I see catcher standing with ball ready to tag. Runner coming home pulls up seemingly knowing she would be out. There was a pretty good collision. ( NOT malicious ) catcher drops ball, runner falls, then scrambles to plate. PU calls safe on dropped ball. Def Coach argues runner did not slide. PU explains runner does not have to slide. Should this have been an out for illegal contact. Coach appologized after game for arguing (Christian school). He was upset because catcher cut her head on her catchers helmet. Thanks for input. BTW I backed up PU call.

Per the stated OP. The runner attempted to stop and there was contact. This means that the PU saw the attempt and ruled accordingly.

Speaking ASA

Runner should have been ruled out based upon 8.7.Q. Intent is not necessary. The attempt to check up who most likely save the runner from an ejection, not the result of the initial play.

BTW, isn't it amazing how a coach/player cannot demonstrate contol of themselves during a game, but an apology seems to provide instant absolution.

Based on your description, and speaking NFHS, dead ball, runner out for interference. Rule 8-6-13. Runner not ejected per Rule 8-6-14 since the contact was not malicious.

Since the others have mentioned ASA and HS, I will state that according to NCAA 12.14.1 the runner would also be out. This is a dead ball call and an ejection will occur only if the umpire rules that the act was flagrant.

Okay 8-6-13 refers to illegal contact. So are there any parameters as to what is illegal contact ? :confused:

Is a possible parameter the force of the contact ?

Legal contact is a legal slide or contact the runner could not avoid (such as, for example, the defender moving into the runner's path at the last second).

I am picturing a catcher 5 feet from home plate standing in the path of the runner with the ball, I picture the runner too far from the plate to slide. It seems to me like the contact was unavoidable in this situation. It sounds like the runner tried to reduce the severity of the impact. Is the runner required to just give up on her attempt to score? What are her options in this case?

Give up, run around (within 3 feet either side of line from present positon to plate), retreat to last base, slide (not great idea 5' up line), jump over (in FED only if on ground is it legal) but you can't plow them. I also agree this is a hard play to visualize. If fielder gets ball and steps in basepath and runner pulls up I could see this going either way, depending on timng and chance to react by runner it is a HTBT type of play IMO. I agree with others here if she had time to do something other than what she did and didn't I can agree to rule staying on her feet causing a collosion, and getting an out....but I can also see the F2 catching and turning in her way and her only having time to pull up and boom there is the crash, which I would say is a play on event (as long as all contact appears defensive from runner)

Is there a decoder thread that documents the acronyms. For example, wat is HTBT?

You didn't get your complimentary umpire's decoder ring in the mail after signing up? Where's mick? :p

HTBT = Had to be there