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Quote:

Originally Posted by Dakota (Post 576193)

Your first time reading the ASA book in awhile? :D

Tom, I put that "(sic)" in there just for you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by CajunNewBlue (Post 576265)

All the above would be really handy.... if i called ASA ball...

If we do some digging, I would imagine that we could find other situations that are covered by "interpretation" rather than a verbatim black-and-white printed rule.

As an NFHS umpire, I assume that you have their Umpire Manual. I do not (I do FED baseball in the spring, ASA/NSA softball the rest of the year). If so, I would be curious to know what it says there about this play. That might be handy, too!

By the way, this ruling isn't something unique to ASA or FED softball. It is a ruling common to multiple baseball and softball rule sets.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BretMan (Post 576276)

Tom, I put that "(sic)" in there just for you!

If we do some digging, I would imagine that we could find other situations that are covered by "interpretation" rather than a verbatim black-and-white printed rule.

As an NFHS umpire, I assume that you have their Umpire Manual. I do not (I do FED baseball in the spring, ASA/NSA softball the rest of the year). If so, I would be curious to know what it says there about this play. That might be handy, too!

By the way, this ruling isn't something unique to ASA or FED softball. It is a ruling common to multiple baseball and softball rule sets.

I do have the NFHS umpire manual and its not covered. All I can find is the earlier posts of "give them wide latitude for this play" and I'm not saying i totally disagree with any of them. I just find that it makes our job a little harder (but, I guess that's why we get the big bucks :rolleyes: )

There is a play in the NFHS case book that is very similar--
Page 50, 8.2.6 situation D.
>
There are no runners on base with two outs. B3 has a 3-2 count. On the next pitch B3 swings and misses. The ball bounces off F2's shin guard and lands in front of home plate. (drop third strike in fair territory) As F2 moves out to field the ball,B3 runs into her, knocking her down.
Ruling- This is interference..........
>
I would assume that any contact, on a playable ball, would be interference. I don't think it is only INT if she is knocked down

Quote:

Originally Posted by kfo9494 (Post 576840)

This play is ruled interference because it is specifically mentioned in the rule (8-2-6), The batter-runner is out: Art 6. ....interferes with a dropped third strike.

The ball being over fair territory is not part of the rule, just that it is a dropped third strike. I believe the distinction is made because in any other circumstance the batter (or BR) has to do something "intentional" to cause interference if she is in the batter's box.