Offensive Interferance

Question
ASA slow pitch softball.  I was playing Catcher when a throw came in from the outfield for potential play at home.  The throw was offline and bounced into an offensive player who was retrieving the bat while the play was in progress.  The contact with the ball altered it's path in such a way that I was not able to retrieve the ball in time to make a play on the runner attempting to score from third base.  The runner-batter moved up on the play as well.

The umpired ruled that offensive player (who was hit by the ball behind home plate) did not "intend" to get hit since he was simply retrieving the bat, and that the ball in all likelihood would have deflected off the backstop anyway and therefore there was no offensive interference.

I cannot find in the rules where "intent" would apply to this situation.  I believe this should have been ruled Offensive Interference, dead ball, runners return.  However the umpire did not rule this way.  

Answer
Hi Scott,

1 of 2 things can happen here, neither of which did

1) If you had an opportunity to make an out, dead ball, interference, runner closest to home is out.
Or
2) No opportunity to make an out, it is a blocked ball, dead ball, runners return to last base touched.

In neither instance is any "intent" required, the ODB needs to stay out of the way, I don't care what they're doing, they are not involved in the game.

Mark

Thank you for your answer. I spoke with two umpires about it and they both stated "the ODB is part of the field even if he is trying to retrieve the bat", though I agree with YOUR answer... Thanks, -Scott

Those 2 umpires would be wrong!