IFF and Interference

Question
Question regarding IFF and interference.  This came about from a  real scenario, but drew my interest to a possible scenario.  Bases Loaded, 1 out.  Pop up down the right field line (fair)just behind first base approx 7-8 feet.  F3 playing up starts backing up to make catch, IFF called, batter out, in process of backing up to make catch to prevent tag up, contact with runner slightly off base retreating, prevents 1st baseman from getting to ball to make catch, both F9 and F6 also miss catch. Have I got a second out now? Deadball R1 out. Cant see where IFF stops play as it is still live ball. The real scenario was same set up only R3 still on bag when contact was made with F3, no interference called live ball, runners advanced at own risk 1 run scored, very upset defensive coach.

Answer
Hi Bill,

Thank you for your two questions.  I pasted them below in their original form.  Let's use your format of R1 runner on 3B, R2 runner on 2B, R3 runner on 1B.

Scenario #1: "Bases Loaded, 1 out. Pop up down the right field line (fair)just behind first base approx 7-8 feet. F3 playing up starts backing up to make catch, IFF called, batter out, in process of backing up to make catch to prevent tag up, contact with runner slightly off base retreating, prevents 1st baseman from getting to ball to make catch, both F9 and F6 also miss catch. Have I got a second out now? Deadball R1 out. Cant see where IFF stops play as it is still live ball."

Answer #1: Yes, you do have a double play, but R1 isn't out, R3 is.  After the ball was popped up the umpire correctly called IFF and ruled the batter/runner out.  Then, R3, the runner who was on 1B, interfered with F3's chance to catch the popup and (maybe) double up one of the three runners, who are entitled to run at their own risk during an IFF, where the ball remains live.  So, the moment R3 interfered with F3 the ball became dead, R3 is called out, and R1 and R2 are returned to the last base touched at the time of the interference.

Scenario #2: "R3 still on bag when contact was made with F3, no interference called live ball, runners advanced at own risk 1 run scored."

Answer #2: I would love to provide a definitive ruling to this scenario, but it just isn't possible.  To coin an acronym used by another expert, this is a HTBT (Had To Be There) scenario.  Contact between a runner and a fielder making a play on a fly ball is a judgment call by the umpires and can result in an interference call or a "no call," which happened here, and only resulted in the batter/runner being called out on the IFF.  I can envision that F3, playing up and in front of R3, tried to back up all the way to a popup that was going to come down 7-8 feet behind 1B and, clueless to her position, ran into R3, who was merely standing on 1B, which was a smart place to be during an IFF so close to her.

Scott Kelly