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| Jan. 10, 2017 Randall 40 posts | Interference With R1 on first with no outs. B2 hits a ground ball to F6. F6 fields and throws to F4 at second base for a force out. F4 makes a relay throw to first base for an attempted double play. His throw hits R1 who is in the baseline, but not trying to interfere with the throw. Is this interference on R1? I think not because the runner is entitled to the baseline and not trying to interfere, but I would like your ruling. Thank you |
| Jan. 10, 2017 curveball Men's 65 705 posts | I believe the powers to b will tell you R1 has to slide OR get out of the way............ interference. |
| Jan. 10, 2017 SSUSA Staff 3483 posts | We concur with curveball ... When the force out is made at 2nd base, the runner is no longer entitled to that base, nor is he any longer entitled to the base line ... "Interference is the act of an offensive player or team member that impedes or confuses a defensive player attempting to execute a play. A base runner must avoid a fielder making a play." ... Most umpires will (correctly) call interference and generally declare the completion of the double play at first base if, in his judgment, that would have been the result absent the interference. |
| Jan. 10, 2017 DieselDan Men's 75 600 posts | Please add her to the next rule book revision. |
| Jan. 10, 2017 TexasTransplant Men's 70 516 posts | Randall, this has come up a number of times in the Umpiring section of the Softballfans website. The consensus among the experienced umpires is exactly as you described it. As long as the runner does nothing to overtly interfere (wave his hand, throw a hip, ala Reggie Jackson, etc) he is entitled to his position, with no requirement to "slide or get out of the way." As one umpire put it, "the runner can't simply go poof and disappear." In fact, one guy opined that, were the runner to veer out of the base path and get hit, he might then be guilty of interference. My understanding has always been as you described. We all know we have a number of rules in Senior Softball that differ from USSSA, ASA, and other organizations. I am not disputing what the Staff posted because SSUSA may have a different rule (or a different way of interpreting the rule). Depending on what sanction you are asking about, you might want to check out that forum (softball fans.com). |
| Jan. 11, 2017 B.J. 1105 posts | Texas... great explanation.... I also disagree... the runner did nothing wrong and is exactly where he is supposed to be in the baseline... the defenseive player (F4)in this scenario has to go across the bag and throw around the runner... the part about "A base runner must avoid a fielder making a play." is when he is attempting to field a ball...what if in this scenario the runner did attempt to get out of the baseline and ran into the throw as the fielder was attempting to throw around him? would this still be interference? |
| Jan. 11, 2017 stick8 1991 posts | Had a play like this in a USSSA conference tourney a couple years ago. Man on 1st, one out. Grounder to second. Slight bobble, then flips it to second. Runner at first (6-4, fast runner with long strides) is sprinting all out to beat the throw. Middle man catches it and makes a quick flip,to first, striking the base runner in the hip. Ball carroms back to the second baseman.. Defense SCREAMS interference. I have nothing. Oh the argument I got !! In USSSA there is no rule that says you must slide or get out of the way. You simply cannot crash into a fielder and you cannot intentionally interfere with a defensive player making a play. In this case the runner had every right to try and obtain second base. In SSUSA I believe there is a rule that says you have to slide or get out of the way. I will say if this same situation occurred in a regular loco yoco house league game I'd probably call interference/double play. |
| Jan. 11, 2017 SSUSA Staff 3483 posts | We aren't too surprised that our initial post in this thread generated varying responses! ... However, if we may err on this very popular "debate topic" occasionally, our overriding concern is for player safety and we encourage base runners who have been retired by the force play to get down or veer out of the line of |
| Jan. 11, 2017 k man Men's 65 326 posts | I'll assume that veering out of line of the throw can be in any direction. Most if not all veer toward the outfield but on more than 1 occasion I have veered toward the infield and was not well received by the fielder. Must have been because infielders are right handed and the throw usually comes from that area and they are looking out for my welfare. |
| Jan. 11, 2017 NYGNYY 215 posts | I believe it is the umpire's call period. He or she has to make the judgment on runner interference. In playing the middle infield you also get into situations where the runner does not get out of the way and you decide not to throw it at his head or body. You then look to the umpire for help and in some cases it becomes a question of that you didn't throw the ball so how can you call interference. As noted in SOME cases not all. |
