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Interference call?

Rule question? Get it answered here.

by joemcq51 » Wed Apr 16, 2014 7:34 am

Watching a Florida HS Playoff game yesterday. Runner on 3rd, 1 out. Bunt to pitcher, who checks runner before going to first. The batter beats the throw to 1st, umpire signals safe. 1st baseman throws home in plenty of time to get runner trying to score from 3rd. In the process, the runner lowers shoulder and takes out catcher. Umpire calls her out. Here is where it gets interesting. The batter takes 2nd while the catcher is struggling to get up and make a play. After the play ends, time is called and umps gather. The runner who knocked over catcher is ejected from game. They left the runner of 2nd base with 2 outs. Next girl up hits a blooper that scores the run. Team in field ends up losing in extra innings. Season over.

My original reaction is that at the very least, the runner needs to go back to first after the play at the plate. I think the ejection is an admission of interference and the runner on 1st should be called out. Did the umpires get the call right?
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by bigsig » Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:42 pm

The ejection (which I agree with based on your description) was for unsportsmanship, not interference.
If they called interference (sounds like they might have since you said they called her out) then you must also call "dead ball". At that point runners must return to the last based touched.
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by hit4power » Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:27 pm

Am I misreading the post? Sounds to me like the throw beat the runner home, she was tagged out, and in the process collides with the catcher. The ball is live so the (batter) runner can advance at her own peril until time is called/play ends. Once play stops, the runner who was out at the plate is ejected for a flagrant collision. I don't see anything that says interference was committed....
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by PDad » Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:37 pm

hit4power wrote:Am I misreading the post? Sounds to me like the throw beat the runner home, she was tagged out, and in the process collides with the catcher. The ball is live so the (batter) runner can advance at her own peril until time is called/play ends. Once play stops, the runner who was out at the plate is ejected for a flagrant collision. I don't see anything that says interference was committed....

Have you heard of crash interference or malicious contact? Since this was a HS game, NFHS's malicious contact is probably what was or should've been called. It is an immediate dead ball with runners returning to the last base touched.
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by joemcq51 » Thu Apr 17, 2014 7:30 am

The ball definitely beat the runner home. She was called out on the tag. She was ejected because she tried to blow up the catcher. I can see where the ball should be called dead and the runner sent back to 1st. I honestly felt like the runner being allowed to stay on 2nd was rewarding the girl for taking out the catcher. She would never have attempted to go if the catcher was not knocked over. It definitely cost the defensive team a run.
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by MTR » Sat Apr 19, 2014 12:06 pm

NFHS 8.6.13

Illegal contact with a fielder in the immediate act of making a play on her. Effect: THE BALL IS DEAD. Each other runner must return to the base last touched at the time of the INT
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