Obstruction

[finfan]

IHSA Fastpitch (NFHS) Runner on third base, the ball is hit to the second baseman. The second baseman fields the ball and throws to the first baseman. The Batter/runner is running toward first base down the middle of the first base line,(one foot in fair territory and one foot in foul territory), the first baseman throws the ball in attempt to throw the runner out who is attempting to score at home plate but the throw hits the batter/runner in the left arm/side. What is the appropriate call? Is this in fact interferrence, and is the runner attempting to score also out?

[greymule]

I wouldn't call interference on that play unless I thought BR intentionally interfered with the throw home. BR did not interfere with the fielder taking the throw at 1B. After F3 caught the throw, BR is just a runner in the baseline.

By the time F3 was making a throw home, the BR had to be fairly close to 1B. It's F3's job to throw around BR.

[WestMichiganBlue]

INTENT is required to call interference (in this situation). If a retired runner intentionally interferes with a defensive player's opportunity to make a play on another runner - 8.6.17 - then the runner closest to home plate is called out.

If, for some reason F3 did not put the batter-runner out, then the batter-runner would have to intentionally interfere with a thrown ball (8.6.10.d). The batter-runner would be called out and the runner going home would have been sent back to 3B.

WMB