Point of clarification: R1 had already scored (she is the one who hit the ball with the bat) and there was no attempted play on R2 at the plate, the pitcher was trying to recover the ball to stop the runners, but she had no play on R2 or R3

If I called interference and called the girl with bat (R1) out, that ends the inning with R2 steaming for home and R3 rounding 3rd. The OC would have lost her mind and I had no idea if the rules justified an interference ruling or not.

based on this:
a case could be made for interference but it would be flimsy at best. All R1 did was tap the ball back towards the Pitcher with a bat, she didnt confuse her at all

After reading the excellent replies by both perspectives I feel like calling a dead ball and sending R2 back to 3rd and R3 back to 2nd I made the fairest decision.

Thanks for the replies

I dont make my rulings based on reaction.

But I guess thats why I will leave a wake of crying girls lying on the field and laugh loudly while I do so...

Maybe you did... for Utrip. Maybe they dont have a rule governing it, maybe you can just make stuff up so you dont make a coach mad.

ASA, the only justification for a non call would be Mike's point.. leaving it live would hurt more than the INT call. In other words, you wouldnt want the INT to punish the defense. The OC can go kick rocks because its the OC's fault. No one cares about her, this is her problem.

I doubt the non-call would apply to this scenario. There are no rules to justify killing it and putting the runners back. The only things that can be supported by rule IMO are INT or non-call.

What do you mean "will"? Don't you mean "already have"?

USSSA Rule Book...Rule 8 Baserunning. Section 18 Any runner is out when...

AC. When the offensive team causes a blocked ball.
EFFECT: The runner closest to home is out.

...and will again.....bwaahahahahahaha........ ;)

wow don't know how I possibly missed that when I looked it up

muchas gracias

No problem. Don't know if you have the on line version or not...makes it easy to run keyword searches:

http://www.usssa.com/usssa/usssa-gen...FPRuleBook.pdf

You either have No Call, or you call Interference. If no call, then you allow the play to stand. If interference, then someone must be called out. There is no rules support for just sending runners back.

To make a no call, IMO, you have to see the end of the play and judge that the player's action was not detramental to the game. I don't buy that; I think you have to call interference.

At the instant the bat touched the ball, you had a pitcher attempting to retrieve the ball; you have runners advancing; it is logical to assume that the pitcher was attempting to get a runner out. At the instant the ball is touched, you have Dead Ball - and it doesn't matter where the ball goes after that.

USSSA rules support: 8-18H - "Being put out is prevented by an illegal act by anyone connected with the team." Note 2: "If a retired runner interferes and, in the judgment of the Umpire, another runner could have been put out, the Umpire shall declare the runner closest to home out."

WMB