interferance

Question
If a base coach catches a foul popup while in the coach area is it interference? this is high school rules

Answer
Jerry, thank you for your question.

The rule covering this is 3-2 Coaching Sec 2 Art 3...No offensive team personnel, other than the base coach shall be near a base for which a runner is trying so that a fielder may be confused;  nor be on or near the baseline in such a way as to draw a throw; nor shall the base coach or members of the team at bat fail to vacate any area needed by a fielder in his attempt to put out a batter or runner.

Sec 7-4f...Batter is out if;

Any member of the offensive team or coach interferes with a fielder who is attempting to field a foul fly ball.

The only way I could see where there would be a no call on something such as this, would be if the defense made no effort at all to go after the foul ball.  In that case an umpire might make a "no call".

With any attempt by the defense to make the play, they would have to call the batter out.

I would be interested in hearing the details of how this situation played itself out.  Could possibly have become very exciting.  In 37 years of coaching I have never seen a base coach attempt to catch, let alone actually catch, a foul fly ball.

Yours in baseball,

Rick