running down the 1st baseline

[fastballb]

A slapper bunts a ball from the left side, which is fielded by the catcher just in front of homeplate.While running to 1st base the slapper is not in the 3 foot runner lane, but instead she is running directly on the foul line or the correct term "fair line". As the catcher throws to 1st the ball hits the runner in the back. Since the runner is not in the running lane is she out?? Since she was kicking up chalk at the time she was hit, is there no call??? And when if any does an umpire rule that the catcher intentionally threw at the runner in hopes of getting the call and warns the catcher???? A question for the good umpires...

[WestMichiganBlue]

I wonder if you are the young lady I called out last night for this offense.

She was running down the first base line, so half of her was in fair territory. All of her should have been within the 3' lane. She was hit in the back of the left shoulder just before reaching 1B, thus preventing F3 from catching the throw. "Dead ball - Interference - Batter is out!"

Was she hit intentionally by the catcher? I don't know. That would take a very obvious action on the part of the catcher for me to call USC on her. I think that she was trying to thread a throw into a small opening, and it didn't happen. If the runner had been where she belonged then maybe F3 would have caught the ball. But we'll never know. OTOH, had the runner been hit by the ball while in the 3' lane, then all we have is an "ouch" and batter is safe on 1B.

In this situation the runner had no beef. Had she played within the rules she wouldn't have cost her team a possible runner on base. I enjoyed over-hearing the coach rag on his girls on the bench: "I told you girls you have to be in that lane. I told you they would call it! Now we lost a runner!"

WMB

[Dakota]

"Fair line" - well, it is actually offically called the "foul line" even though it is in fair territory.

The interference is not for running outside the running lane, for blocking F2's throwing lane, or even for getting hit with the thrown ball; it is for interfering with the play at 1B while outside the running lane. (ASA 8-2-E; NFHS 8-2-5).

First, then, did F3 have a play? This is where I would begin to look for an intentional beaning of the BR - i.e. if F2 was obviously not throwing to F3, but instead throwing to the back of the BR. But, I'd need pretty good indications before I would eject. It'd take less for a warning.

If it did appear to be a legitimate throw and F3 had a play, where did the ball hit the BR? Did it hit the BR over fair territory (out) or over foul territory (no call). When the BR is straddling the line, the call is made based on the position of the ball. (ASA 2002 Case Book Play 8.2-16).

I could not find a case play for NFHS on a runner straddling the line, so lacking other guidance, I would call it the same way.

[ChampaignBlue]

Originally posted by WestMichiganBlue
She was hit in the back of the left shoulder just before reaching 1B, thus preventing F3 from catching the throw.

Don't forget that 1st is in fair territory and the BR has the right to go to the bag. If it's "just before" she reaches 1st you may have nothing as well. Jim

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by ChampaignBlue

Don't forget that 1st is in fair territory and the BR has the right to go to the bag. If it's "just before" she reaches 1st you may have nothing as well. Jim

Only if they are not using a double-base.

[Dakota]

Speaking of a double base, if the play is coming from foul territory (as in a dropped 3rd strike or a fair ball that rebounded into foul territory), then the running lane extends into fair territory to allow the runner to run to the white base.