Rule Interpretations

[Dakota]

I disagree we are talking about mere interpretation. The reason is that ASA has a specific rule (8-7J.5) dealing with the deflected batted ball. NFHS only has the rule dealing with interference with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball.

So, this is not just taking the ASA POE on an indentically or similarly worded rule. NFHS re-wrote their rule 8 (2 years ago, I think) to specifically mirror the ASA rule, therefore one could assume that any difference are intentional, not just a case of being incomplete, inexact, or vague.

ASA 8-7J.5 doesn't just add the requirement that the fielder have an opportunity to make an out (as opposed to a play), it also addes the requirement that the interference must be intentional by the runner. On other words, it effectively removes the fielder's protection once the ball is deflected unless the runner does something intentional.

Why did NFHS not include 8-7J.5 when they re-wrote their rule 8 (they did include ASA 8-7J.1-4)?

Is it possible that it was because they did not like ASA 8-7J.5 and wanted to keep the fielder's protection intact on a deflected batted ball.