Premier homerun/out??

[RoMu]

Never heard an explanation.

Championship game - So Cal Athletics vs Texas Impact Gold

The game winning homerun was caught by Impact's centerfielder as she fell over the temp fence. Why was this not an out? Why was it ruled a homerun? The ball was caught before touching ground. She did not knock over the fence to reach the ball in flight.

What was the ruling??

[jonnypar]

I heard the announcers say that the rules states that the fielder must have one foot touching the gound while catching the ball before flying over the movable fence. I thought it was a great catch but after the rule was explained it made sense. Still, it was a great catch.

[mgkblue]

My reaction was that it was a catch. The explanation given was not supported by the NFHS rule related to a collapsible fence. Under Rule 9-4 "A fielder who catches a ball while contacting or stepping on a collapsible fence, which is not completely horizontal, is credited with a catch.

What I say from the play was the fence was going down at the time of the catch, but was not completely horizontal at the time of the catch. Therefore I have an out.

There is no requirement in the rule regarding having to have one foot touching the ground while catching the ball before flying over the collapsible fence.

[Crabby_Bob]

Didn't see it. What was the ruleset?

[Comp]

My understanding is they were playing ASA rule set. If so, bad call by the official.

Rules supplement 20

The fence is an extension of the playing field, wich makes it leagl for a player to climb the fence and make the catch. When a player catches a ball in the air and their momentum carries them through or over the fence the catch is legal, the batter runner is out, the abll is dead and with fewer than two outs all runners are advanced one base without liability to be put out. Guidelines are as follows:
1: When a player catches the ball before they touch the ground outside the playing area, the catch is legal, or
2: When a player catches the ball after they touch the gound outside the playing area, it is not a catch. When a collapsible, portable fence is used and a defensive player is standing on the fence when the catch is made, it is a legal catch. A defensive player may climb a fence to make a legal catch, therefore a defensive player may also stand on a fence that has fallen or is falling to the ground. As long as the defensive player has not stepped outside the playing area, the other side of fence, the catch is legal.

[anonlooker]

They were playing NFHS rules, which differ from ASA pertaining to this play.

btw, there was already a thread going on this subject,you can find it here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16183

[MTR]

They were playing NFHS rules, which differ from ASA pertaining to this play.

btw, there was already a thread going on this subject,you can find it here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16183

NFHS 2-9(Catch).4...For a legal catch, a fielder must catch and have secure possession of the ball before stepping, touching or falling into a dead-ball area. A fielder who falls over or through the fene after making a catch shall be credited with the catch. A fielder who catches a ball while contacting or stepping on a collapsible fence, which is not completely horizontal, is credited with a catch.

IOW, if the fence was not laying flat on the ground and the fielder caught the ball prior to touching DBT with any part of her body or equipment, it should have been ruled an out. To rule otherwise, the umpire would have to determine the fielder did not have control of the ball.

There is no requirement in NFHS, ASA, NCAA, etc. that a player have contact with playable territory for a catch to be legal.

[Bretman]

Saw a little bit of this game, but not the play in question. Sight unseen, it sounds like a blown call.

Forget the explanation given by the announcers, as it is completely false. So long as the fielder had both feet established in a live ball area before making the catch, it should be a valid catch. A fielder could be on the run, leap in the air, catch the ball, then land in dead ball area and it would be a catch for an out.

The only way the NFHS rule differs from the ASA rule is in how a collapsed fence is handled. In ASA a collapsed fence lying on the ground becomes an extension of live ball territory. A fielder standing on the collapsed fence is considered to be in live ball area. She isn't in dead ball area until she touches the ground past the fence.

In NFHS, when the fence is lying on the ground in dead ball area, it becomes part of the dead ball area. Thus, a fielder standing on a fence that is "horizontal" (ie: pushed outward and lying on the ground) has established herself in dead ball area and the catch would not be valid.

Just going by the description provided, if the fielder was making the catch as she contacted the fence, and the fence was not lying on the ground contacting dead ball area, this is an out. Once the player contacts the area beyond the fence, the ball becomes dead. If it was not the third out, any baserunners on base would be awarded one base (treated as an unintentional "catch and carry").

[sportzjunky]

to me i read the rule similar to the NFL on a catch... you need 2 feet in the field of play when landing. If that catch carries a player thru the fence its a catch. Conversely, If you land on the fence without 2 feet on the grass in any form prior to the fence being in play then an HR.

Game scenarios:
The first catch the girl clearly had her left foot down in play when landing with the ball in glove and simultainiously the right came down at the base of the fence grass with her toe hiting the fence then her momentum carried her thru/on the fence. She had 2feet down in the field of play as she hit the fence. Catch.

The 2 run HR the girl jumped up never had any feet touch the grass and she came down on the fence. Basically she caught it out of the field of play by never having her feet touch grass in the field of play. HR.

At least thats the way I read it... hopefully that doesnt muddy the waters.

[Bretman]

If that's the way you "read it", I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what it is you're reading. This is nothing at all like the NFL ruling on a catch and I'm not sure what you could read in a rule book that would make you think that.

Football: Receiver establishes both feet in-bounds, leaps, catches the ball in the air, then lands out of bounds. No catch/incomplete.

Softball: Fielder establishes both feet in-bounds, leaps, catches the ball in the air, then lands out of bounds. Catch/batter is out.