Another you make the call

In yesterdays game with Southern Vance. Batter pops up between first and home, firstbase is about to catch the ball while standing with one foot on each side of the foul line. Batter runner runs into her, both fall to the ground and firstbaseman never touched the ball and it falls foul. Umpires says because it was a foul ball there was no interference. He said it was on the national test. I think the runner should have been out, but she was allowed to finish her at bat.

 

The Way I Interpret The Rule

Runner interference should have been called. Foul or Fair doesn't matter. If a fielder is in the base path and attempting to field a batted ball, the runner must avoid them. The fielder is protected even if they not in the path and then moves into the path. The runner has the responsibility to avoid the fielder wherever they may move to try to field the ball. If the runner does not avoid the fielder, it is interference whether the act was intentional or not.

 

Interference batter is out.

 

ditto

this is a waste of good air....why do we have to talk about this....

this all comes down to training and the commitment of the NC high school association to properly train their umpires, which requires a commitment to general skills training and testing as to rules .....

All of you high school coaches need to demand better..
Resources are available, but it takes voices will be heard..

this would never be an issue with high school football....
demand better..........

step up... don't accept mediocrity...........

 

I believe this umpire is confusing this with a runner who interferes with a fielder's attempt to catch a batted ball in foul territory. The runner is out and the batter is charged with a strike or its just a foul ball if two strikes were already on the batter.

Doesn't excuse the misapplication, but may explain it.

Was it a home game or was it at S. Vance?

 

The NCHSAA does need to make some changes. (added: Football is a much easier sport to officiate as far as rule interpretations go. This does not excuse a professional umpire, which is any one who gets paid for their services in that field, from making erroneous rulings. BTW, MLB umpires render incorrect rulings all the time and they are extensively trained.)

 

Saw a batter called out last week in a similar circumstance.....the difference being it was on the coach...who was in the coach's box and made every effort to avoid contact.....but then I also saw a batter called out when a coach held up a hand to defend themselves against a foul ball....also in the coach's box.

Go figure!!

 

If a coach or any member of the offensive team other than a runner interferes with a fielder attempting to field a foul fly ball the batter is out.

The coaches box and the effort a coach makes has no bearing on this ruling. If the fielder had an oppurtunity to field those foul fly balls then the batter should have been called out. (added: The coaches box only protects a coach from unintentionally interfering with a thrown ball not a batted ball)