Obstruction but with a twist.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

MTD, Jr., Daryl "The Preacher" H. Long, and I umpired in an ASA girls' fastpitch tournament this weekend and Daryl and I had an unusual play in one game where I was the PU and Daryl was the BU. I will try to describe it in great detail so as to minimize any HTBTs. The game was a 12U age group. Here goes:

PLAY: Runner on 1B (R1) with one out. B3 rips, a line drive into right-center field for a base hit. R1 is off on contact, passes (maked contact with the bag) 2B, and heads for 3B. The 3B coach gives her the windmill to head for HP. R1 is running straight down the 3B Foul Line toward HP.

Now lets talk about F2. Picture a line that is parallel to the 1B FL and it intersects the 3B FL about two feet on the 3B side of HP. F2 is standing on this line just inside the 3B FL waiting for a possible relay throw; at this point she is not obstructing R1. (Right now all of the basketball officials reading this post should be thinking about Time and Distance when setting a screen against a moving opponent.)

The relay throw is high and F2 leaps up and back toward the 3B FL. As F2 leaps back R1 runs into F2 as the ball glances off of F2's glove. When the contact occured I called out: "That's Obstruction!" and by then R1 and F2 were on the ground, writhing in pain (I am not exagerating, because I was feeling the pain too.). F2 lands on top of HP and R1 lands just inches short short of HP. I now called out "Time!" and coaches from both teams came out to attend to F2 and R1. Remember R1 had not touched HP and I had never signaled her safe because she never touched or even crossed HP.

After a few minutes, both players got up and play resumed with neither player leaving the game. R1 walked into her dugout under her own power; both team's scorers marked down a run scored by R1; and B4 entered the Batter's Box and the game resumed. The Defense did not appeal R1 never touching HP, B4 took her cuts at the plate, and we finished the game.

As I stated at the beginning this tournament was being played under ASA rules. But I would like to entertain a discussion not only under ASA rules, but NFHS, NCAA, USSSA, and for our esteemed members who have had the honor of working a game under ISF rules as to if we handled this play correctly, and if not how could we have done it differently.

This was tournament was the last umpiring (both baseball and softball) of the summer for the three of us, so it is time to put the gear away and get ready for next year.

MTD, Sr.