ASK THE UMP!

FIELDING

QUESTION: In high school baseball, two outs; runner on second base; shortstop moves underneath a fair pop fly ball with runner in base path toward third base. Runner makes effort to run behind fielder but the wind causes shortstop to back up to make a play on ball. Runner then contacts fielder. Interference?
Incidental contact? Is fielder protected in chance to make play on ball?
ANSWER: Dead ball; interference, runner is called out. Shortstop must be given opportunity to make a clean play on fly ball. (Rule 8, Sec. 4, Art. 2). Fielder is entitled to an unobstructed initial play.
QUESTION: In high school softball, runner on first base; with first base person playing in front of bag, batter hits a fair ball which passes the first base person untouched but contacts the runner while off the bag. Interference? Live ball ?
ANSWER: The runner is not out if umpire judges that no other fielder (second base person) had a chance to make an out on this play. (Rule 8, Sec. 8, Art. 4). If another fielder had an opportunity to make an out on above play, runner would be declared out for interference. (Rule 8, Sec. 6, Art. 11).

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