8-2-e Runners lane interference

[rbmartin]

Originally Posted by Gulf Coast Blue

And the fact that NFHS can have a lane violation on a Base on Balls.........

Frickin Fedlandia.........

Joel

Again, I apologize for being an OBR baseball guy asking softball questions but in what scenario could the above mentioned infraction (RLI on a BOB) potentially take place?

[rwest]

Originally Posted by rbmartin

Again, I apologize for being an OBR baseball guy asking softball questions but in what scenario could the above mentioned infraction (RLI on a BOB) potentially take place?

In FP Softball the ball is live when the batter becomes a batter-runner during a base on balls situation. Some teams will have their runners round 1st and go to second. This is normally done with a runner at third. If they throw to second to get the out, the runner from third advances home. Some teams will defend this by throwing down to first base. If the runner interferes with this throw while out of the running lane we have interference.

[TwoBits]

Originally Posted by rwest

In FP Softball the ball is live when the batter becomes a batter-runner during a base on balls situation. Some teams will have their runners round 1st and go to second. This is normally done with a runner at third. If they throw to second to get the out, the runner from third advances home. Some teams will defend this by throwing down to first base. If the runner interferes with this throw while out of the running lane we have interference.

Yep. NFHS Casebook 8.2.5 Situation B.

[rbmartin]

Originally Posted by rwest

In FP Softball the ball is live when the batter becomes a batter-runner during a base on balls situation. Some teams will have their runners round 1st and go to second. This is normally done with a runner at third. If they throw to second to get the out, the runner from third advances home. Some teams will defend this by throwing down to first base. If the runner interferes with this throw while out of the running lane we have interference.

So in the above mentioned scenario, is the B/R out or is R3 out? I assume it is delayed/immediate dead ball depending on if the throw actually contacted the runner or not?

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by rbmartin

So in the above mentioned scenario, is the B/R out or is R3 out? I assume it is delayed/immediate dead ball depending on if the throw actually contacted the runner or not?

In softball, interference is always an immediate dead ball, and the player who committed the interference is out (unless already out or not an active runner), and other runners return to the last base at the time of the interference.

The Fed ruling is silly, since that defensive "play" is mainly attractive for teams with poor defensive skills. Skilled teams merely return the ball to the pitcher, leaving all defensive options still open for runners off their bases. But, there are a lot of teams that can't do a couple of quick throws without a near 100% chance of an error. Hence, this is viewed as a real "play". JMO, of course.

[rbmartin]

Originally Posted by Dakota

In softball, interference is always an immediate dead ball, and the player who committed the interference is out (unless already out or not an active runner), and other runners return to the last base at the time of the interference.

So even if the offensive player , by her act of interfering, prevents an sure double play, the defensive team has no recourse? Is there no way to award a second out on an interference play?

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by rbmartin

So even if the offensive player , by her act of interfering, prevents an sure double play, the defensive team has no recourse? Is there no way to award a second out on an interference play?

Yes, if in the judgment of the umpire, the interference prevented an obvious double play, a second out can be assessed, but the defense does not get the opportunity to make that second out themselves.

Example, from the Fed case book:

2.32 SITUATION A: B2 hits a grounder to F6. Just as F6 starts to throw to first base, R1 on the way to third base, yells at F6, which startles F6, causing the ball to be thrown over F3's head into dead-ball territory. RULING: R1 is called out immediately for interference. The ball is declared dead. If this interference, in the judgment of the umpire, is an obvious attempt to prevent a double play and it occurs before R1 is put out, the immediate succeeding runner, B2, shall also be called out. (8-6-10d)

[CecilOne]

It is also based on consistency, a BR is BR no matter why, and the ball is live except HBP.