Rulings For NFHS
 

1st debate.

High School ball. NFHS

Got into a nice little debate this evening with a fellow softball UMPIRE. Here's the question. A ball is hit and recochets off the pitchers glove toward short stop. The short stop comes up to make a play on the ball and is hit by the runner moving from 2nd to 3rd.

Is this interference.

I say yes, clear cut. He says it is OBS cause SS does not have the ball. He also said the 1 step and reach comes into play...HUH?

2nd debate.

Again NHFS

R1 on 1B, 1 out. 3-2 count on batter, shes swings at next pitch misses, F2 catches the ball on the bounce, BR takes off to 1B, running in runners lande all the way, F2 throws to 1B hitting BR in back. What have you got?

I don't believe NFHS covers deflected batted balls in the rule book like ASA does, but I believe the definition of Initial Play covers it.

Well, running in the 3' lane "all the way" to 1B isn't possible. :rolleyes: However, even part of the way is irrelevant since she is not a BR.

If there was a play on R1, then it is INT. If there is no play, I'm thinking DMC.

NFHS does not consider an attempt at a play on a ball by the pitcher to be an initial play. If it was deflected toward the SS and she was attempting to field the ball, it is interference on the runner.

A deflection off any fielder to another is an initial play as long as the ball stays in flight.

Missed you so far this season. Have you been posting or out of touch or ... ? :(

1st debate scenario only, NFHS Rules:

I had this exact play in my game on Saturday myself. I called OBS because the collision between R1 and F6 happened as F1 went for the ball. Then F1 muffed it, deflected to F6, who was in the process of moving to field it when R1 hit her. I was wrong.

The Initial Play definition (2.47.3) covers a deflected batted ball off the pitcher only. (also see case play 2.47.3 situation B). In my play, and in whiskers_ump's play, interference has happened per 8.6.10.a.

I missed an out. Dangit!

This is interesting and brings a question to my mind...what would you have had it F1 had fielded the ball cleanly? Was the collision between F6 and R1 significantly before the muff or was it bang-bang as the ball was being misplayed? Since OBS is a delayed dead ball anyway, might it have been proper to signal the DDB for OBS at first, then change to an interference call as this play develops? That should make for an interesting conversation with a coach.....

If F1 fielded the ball cleanly and R1 and F6 collided????
How could it be anything but obstruction??

NFHS Part II #66

The pitcher may throw to a base while a foot is in contact with the pitcher's plate after having taken the pitching position.

It was kind of a rhetorical question designed to help illustrate the issue I was trying to present....

If F1 got it and made the play, then you no longer have a deflected batted ball. OBS is the only call you have at that point.

false

I disagree. She can throw it to a base if she wants. How are you going to stop her? :confused:

OK, I like poking fun at logical fallacies in the wording of T/F questions as much as (actually, probably more than) the next guy, but the question says "may" not "can"! :D

Ahhh ... it's test grammar you are hitting. Well, in that case, you can hardly miss! :cool: