Catch and Carry

[BretMan]

Definitely a catch...but what about the carry?


NFHS 5-1-1(i): Ball becomes dead immediately when...

i. a fielder, after catching a fair or foul batted ball (fly or line drive), leaves the field of play by stepping with one foot or by falling into a designated dead-ball area (i.e., bench, dugout, stand/bleacher, etc.).

NOTE: If a chalk line or imaginary line is used to determine dead-ball (out-of-play) territory, the line is considered in play.

a. If the fielder's feet are touching the line or are in live-ball territory, she is considered in the field of play and legally may field, catch or throw the ball without penalty.

b. If the player's entire foot (no part of the foot is touching in live-ball territory) is beyond the line and touches dead-ball territory at the time she catches, fields or throws the ball, she has entered dead-ball territory, the ball is dead, no play is allowed.

c. If a fielder has one foot in play and the other foot in the air, she legally may catch, field or throw the ball unless her entire foot contacts the ground in dead- ball territory, at which time the ball becomes dead, no play is allowed, and the penalty is applied.

d. If a fielder contacts dead-ball territory with any part of the body except the foot, she is considered out of play. No play is allowed, and the penalty is applied. When the fielder completely leaves and then re-establishes herself within liveball territory (both feet in live-ball territory), a catch would be allowed.


The highlighted sentence tells us that, following the catch, this fielder subsequently became "out of play" when her hand touched the ground in dead ball area.