Runner Interferance or Live ball

[narcosis]

Runner 1st and 2nd, 1 out. Batter swings at 3rd strike that is dropped and F2 throws to first. The throw hits the batter running to first in the head. The batter/runner is inside of the 1st base foul line. 1st base runner and 2nd base runner advance w/2nd base runner scoring. PU calls dead ball, batter runner interference, batter runner out, 2nd base runner out for batter runner interference...ball game. After conference all base runners return to to original base w/2 outs. I think this is right call because the throw from F2 hit the batter runner while she was in fair territory causing the ball to go to the outfield. Was this the correct call?

[RonaldMcDonald]

Yes, that is the correct call.

[MTR]

Runner 1st and 2nd, 1 out. Batter swings at 3rd strike that is dropped and F2 throws to first. The throw hits the batter running to first in the head. The batter/runner is inside of the 1st base foul line. 1st base runner and 2nd base runner advance w/2nd base runner scoring. PU calls dead ball, batter runner interference, batter runner out, 2nd base runner out for batter runner interference...ball game. After conference all base runners return to to original base w/2 outs. I think this is right call because the throw from F2 hit the batter runner while she was in fair territory causing the ball to go to the outfield. Was this the correct call?

Maybe.

Speaking ASA

The 3' lane is irrelevant since you did not have a BR.

Was there a possible play @ 1b on R2? If the umpire believes there was, then it is the correct call. The retired batter is not interfering by running, but still cannot interfere with a potential play.

If the umpire judged there was no play with which to INT, this is just a DMC.

[narcosis]

It is was an ASA game (16u national). There was no play at 1b. Batting team was down by 4 and R2 was staying close to bag. It was a DMC, but I was wondering if the reason the PU called it a dead ball & had R1 return to 2b (not counting the run) after the conference was due to F2 hitting the batter runner while she was inside fair territory; thus keeping the play from being "live".

[HugoTafurst]

It is was an ASA game (16u national). There was no play at 1b. Batting team was down by 4 and R2 was staying close to bag. It was a DMC, but I was wondering if the reason the PU called it a dead ball & had R1 return to 2b (not counting the run) after the conference was due to F2 hitting the batter runner while she was inside fair territory; thus keeping the play from being "live".

There was no batter runner (since the batter was out on strike three), I guess whether or not F2 was making a play on R2 is a judgement call.

1) If it was judged that F2 WAS making a play on R2, then the first result was correct.... Batter was out on strike three, R1 (2nd base) was the closest runner to home and out due to the interference by the retired runner.

or

2) If it was judged that F2 was not making a play on R2 (at 1st) but mistakenly trying to get (retired) batter out at first - there was no interference and R1 (from 2nd's) score should stand.

There is no way runner's should have been returned to their original bases.

[MTR]

It is was an ASA game (16u national). There was no play at 1b. Batting team was down by 4 and R2 was staying close to bag. It was a DMC, but I was wondering if the reason the PU called it a dead ball & had R1 return to 2b (not counting the run) after the conference was due to F2 hitting the batter runner while she was inside fair territory; thus keeping th e play from being "live".

To start, please drop the "fair territory" stuff as it has NOTHING to do with the play regardless of which way it went.

There is no way runner's should have been returned to their original bases.

Well, unless the umpire looselytook a suggestion from the last ASA Clarification where it pondered the possibility of the umpire killing the ball when a batter takes off for 1B when not entitled.

[narcosis]

[quote="MTR[/quote]

To start, please drop the "fair territory" stuff as it has NOTHING to do with the play regardless of which way it went.

If "fair territory" had nothing to do with the play then why were the runners returned to their previous base and the run not counted. As I was not part of the conversation between the PU, UIC and head coaches, this is the only conclusion I can see as to why they would return the base runners.

As stated before, it was a DMC since the runner on first was no more than 3 feet from the bag. This is the first time I've seen a call like this was was building my "knowledge" in case it would happen to my DD's team; hopefully not our F2 though .

[MTR]

If "fair territory" had nothing to do with the play then why were the runners returned to their previous base and the run not counted. As I was not part of the conversation between the PU, UIC and head coaches, this is the only conclusion I can see as to why they would return the base runners.

As stated before, it was a DMC since the runner on first was no more than 3 feet from the bag. This is the first time I've seen a call like this was was building my "knowledge" in case it would happen to my DD's team; hopefully not our F2 though .

I'm trying to help build your knowledge also. There are no rules which forbid a runner from running in fair territory, so why include it?

The only thing I can think of is what I posted before, one of the umpires killed the play early. Not saying it was right, just offering an answer to the question asked.

[UmpSteve]

It is was an ASA game (16u national). There was no play at 1b. Batting team was down by 4 and R2 was staying close to bag. It was a DMC, but I was wondering if the reason the PU called it a dead ball & had R1 return to 2b (not counting the run) after the conference was due to F2 hitting the batter runner while she was inside fair territory; thus keeping the play from being "live".

There was no batter runner (since the batter was out on strike three), I guess whether or not F2 was making a play on R2 is a judgement call.

1) If it was judged that F2 WAS making a play on R2, then the first result was correct.... Batter was out on strike three, R1 (2nd base) was the closest runner to home and out due to the interference by the retired runner.

or

2) If it was judged that F2 was not making a play on R2 (at 1st) but mistakenly trying to get (retired) batter out at first - there was no interference and R1 (from 2nd's) score should stand.

There is no way runner's should have been returned to their original bases.

Hugo, I think your analysis is correct so far as it went; but you stopped too soon.

My thinking is that PU ruled per your first point, and called a dead ball at the time of the throw hitting the retired runner. But the crew then pointed out there was no play to be made, and if no play, then no interference (your point 2). And convinced the PU of that point.

But the PU killed the play. So, runners can't advance; in fact, they weren't returned to bases, either, because they never did advance. The dead ball call kept that from happening; no matter what the original observer thinks he saw.

[HugoTafurst]

It is was an ASA game (16u national). There was no play at 1b. Batting team was down by 4 and R2 was staying close to bag. It was a DMC, but I was wondering if the reason the PU called it a dead ball & had R1 return to 2b (not counting the run) after the conference was due to F2 hitting the batter runner while she was inside fair territory; thus keeping the play from being "live".

There was no batter runner (since the batter was out on strike three), I guess whether or not F2 was making a play on R2 is a judgement call.

1) If it was judged that F2 WAS making a play on R2, then the first result was correct.... Batter was out on strike three, R1 (2nd base) was the closest runner to home and out due to the interference by the retired runner.

or

2) If it was judged that F2 was not making a play on R2 (at 1st) but mistakenly trying to get (retired) batter out at first - there was no interference and R1 (from 2nd's) score should stand.

There is no way runner's should have been returned to their original bases.

Hugo, I think your analysis is correct so far as it went; but you stopped too soon.

My thinking is that PU ruled per your first point, and called a dead ball at the time of the throw hitting the retired runner. But the crew then pointed out there was no play to be made, and if no play, then no interference (your point 2). And convinced the PU of that point.

But the PU killed the play. So, runners can't advance; in fact, they weren't returned to bases, either, because they never did advance. The dead ball call kept that from happening; no matter what the original observer thinks he saw.

If you are suggesting that the PU killed the play in error and putting the runners at 1 & 2 would rectify that mis-call, I'll buy that and re-tract my "No way runners can be returned" comment.
And thank you for pointing out that possibility