Interference or Incidental Contact?
Question
F4 playing deep, R1 on first. BR hits a slow ground ball. F4 charges in and collides with R1 with both in motion. I called it incidental contact since in my judgment, both fielder and runner were in motion and just collided. The other umpire said I should have called interference. Who's right?
Answer
Hi Lenny,
If F4 was hindered from attempting to execute a play as it seems they were just from your brief facts, I would have interference. A runner must vacate or not enter any space necessary for the defense to field a batted ball, just because one or both are in motion means nothing.
As usual the caveat is I would like to see it.
Mark
Ball passing hips twice
running out of baseline