Who Bats Next Inning? (FED)

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by Big Slick

Steve, I believe you are quoting an unique variation of ASA rules. NFHS (and NCAA) both treat interference on a foul fly ball as only the runner out, not the batter.

The OP has asked for the FED interpretation.

Oops; missed the part about FED rules. And with my state being in FED softball season, you would think I would be paying better attention.

Big Slick is absolutely correct; I gave the ASA answer. In ASA, B5 would bat next.

The FED answer is, again, different. 7-4-12 makes clear that the batter B4 is not out when a runner R3 interferes with a foul fly, just the runner. So, it is a dead ball, foul ball, and the B4's at-bat has not ended. With R3 making the 3rd out, same batter B4 starts the next inning.

I like the correction made by ASA on this one; seems a fairer result, to me. I could see this being done intentionally, as a strategic option, to keep a more dangerous batter up (with less than two outs), up to start the next inning, or to keep a better runner placed at 2nd if the next inning is to be a tiebreaker inning.