Runners Safe or Out?

[Battle]

Runners on 1st and 2nd and stealing on the pitch. Batter shows bunt so F5 crashes but batter pulls back and slaps the ball by F5 and F6 and the ball hits R1. R2 sees this and stops, takes a couple of steps towards 1st base, then decides to run on to 2nd. Is R1 automatically out? What sanctions?

[MrGeek]

NFHS Softball Rule Book
Rule 8 Section 6
Batter is Out if...
ART. 11 . . . The runner is struck with a fair untouched batted ball while not in contact with a base
and before it passes an infielder, excluding the pitcher, or if it passes an infielder and any fielder
has an opportunity to make an out.

It is a judgment call by the umpire. Could F6 still have made a play on the ball? That is when the arguing ensues and someone will probably be getting tossed out of the game.

[Battle]

NFHS Softball Rule Book
Rule 8 Section 6
Batter is Out if...
ART. 11 . . . The runner is struck with a fair untouched batted ball while not in contact with a base
and before it passes an infielder, excluding the pitcher, or if it passes an infielder and any fielder
has an opportunity to make an out.

It is a judgment call by the umpire. Could F6 still have made a play on the ball? That is when the arguing ensues and someone will probably be getting tossed out of the game.

Thanks MrGeek. I know what you mean about the arguing. It's just a game until the DD is R1. Then it becomes more.

What about R2? Is she safe at 2nd?

[MrGeek]

I would think so. It should be played as a live ball. Out of base path should only apply if she is avoiding a tag.

[UmpSteve]

NFHS Softball Rule Book
Rule 8 Section 6
Batter is Out if...
ART. 11 . . . The runner is struck with a fair untouched batted ball while not in contact with a base
and before it passes an infielder, excluding the pitcher, or if it passes an infielder and any fielder
has an opportunity to make an out.

It is a judgment call by the umpire. Could F6 still have made a play on the ball? That is when the arguing ensues and someone will probably be getting tossed out of the game.

Thanks MrGeek. I know what you mean about the arguing. It's just a game until the DD is R1. Then it becomes more.

What about R2? Is she safe at 2nd?

It's either a dead ball and interference out of the umpires judge a play for an out was still available, or it remains a live ball and all runner may advance at their own risk until the ball is returned to the circle to end play.

If interference is the ruling, all other runners are returned to the last base reached at the time of the interference, and the batter is awarded first base on a fielder's choice.

[ddbauer]

Seems pretty straightforward to me...maybe I am missing something. If the batted ball hits a runner prior to hitting anything else (e.g. a fielder's glove, an umpire, a base), then the play is dead. Batter takes 1st and runner at 1st takes 2nd regardless if they were stealing or which direction they were running.

[PDad]

If interference is the ruling, all other runners are returned to the last base reached at the time of the interference, and the batter is awarded first base on a fielder's choice.

Runners are returned to last base, however they may be advanced due to award of first base.

[Battle]

Is this rule worded the same for all sanctions?

[UmpSteve]

Is this rule worded the same for all sanctions?

I cannot speak to/for Little League, or any other based on baseball (Pony?); but it is the same as I restated (and as supplemented by PDad) in ASA/USA, NCAA, NFHS, and USSSA/USAES.

That said, MANY umpires, especially if they have ever worked baseball, will declare the dead ball out any time a runner is hit with the batted ball, without considering if the ball had already passed an infielder or if any other player still had a play. But that is not the softball rule.

[Battle]

Agreed but it goes further than that. I've seen the ball go between the IF legs and hit the runner with an out called and nobody argues. It's as though everyone is in agreement. If they do argue, it's whether or not the ball touched the IF. What? It doesn't matter if it touched the IF. She had a play on the ball.

Why is this rule so lost?