Interference on a walked batter

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

The key words in the NFHS Casebook Play RULING are: "legitmate play". I know what F2's intent was in throwing to F3, but I can not see this as a "legitimate play".

Just my humble two cents.

MTD, Sr.

NFHS has a broader definition of a play than does ASA.

ASA:

Rule 1 PLAY: An attempt by a defensive player to retire an offensive player. A pitch is not considered a play except as it relates to an appeal.

NFHS:

Rule 2 ART. 2 . . . Make a Play.
a. Any action by the pitcher intended to cause a reaction from the runner(s) as it pertains to the look-back rule (F.P.).
b. Any action by a fielder who is attempting to catch or gain control of a batted or thrown ball.
c. An attempt by a defensive player to retire a runner or a batter-runner.

ASA requires a play to be an attempt to retire an offensive player. NFHS does not.

Neither one, however, recognizes hitting an offensive player with the ball to be a play, and both require the running lane interference to be interfering with the fielder taking the throw at 1st base, not with the throw itself. Therefore, it still must be a legitimate throw to a player covering 1st base.