Runner Interference??
2016/7/15 17:16:54
Question
I just had an extremely odd play and I don't know what the ruling should have been. Here's the situation: High pop up in the infield (and just to make the situation more exciting, it was the last inning, 2 outs, tie game, runners on 2nd and 3rd). I'm at short and called for the ball. I circle under the runner off 2nd, and then have to back peddle right on to the 2nd base bag. Just as the ball is coming down into my glove, I back into the runner who has returned to 2nd base to stand on the bag in my way. My head hit his as I backed up right as the ball hit my glove. The jarring caused me to drop the ball as I never saw it hit. Is this runner interference if he made no attempt to move or lean out of the way to let me make the play given that he was touching 2nd base?
Answer
Hi Brian,
this is a situation that an umpire would have to see to call it.
A player may stay on a legally occupied base and in this case even though there are 2 outs R2 can still legally occupy 2nd as he is not forced from the base.
The interference by R2 while standing on the legally occupied base must be intentional (one of the few intentional interference rules ASA still has left.)
It is a judgment call and 1 that could either way depending on what the umpire saw.
Mark
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