Batter's Interference?

[prettymuch]

1) Runner on 1st, Slapper up to bat - Slapper takes a pitch and normally is 10 feet towards the pitcher after the pitch, and R1 attempts a delayed steal. Catcher throws down to 2nd hitting the Slapper (batter) in the shoulder and no play is made at 2nd due to the occurence. Interference/ No Call?

2) Runner on 2nd, Right handed batter up to bat - The batter takes the pitch as the runner on 2nd attempts to steal 3rd. Catcher throws the ball to 3rd and hits the batter in the back of the head as the batter had not moved her feet to step out of the way, luckily moved her head though. Interference/ or the batter has a right to stand in the box?

[UmpSteve]

1) Runner on 1st, Slapper up to bat - Slapper takes a pitch and normally is 10 feet towards the pitcher after the pitch, and R1 attempts a delayed steal. Catcher throws down to 2nd hitting the Slapper (batter) in the shoulder and no play is made at 2nd due to the occurence. Interference/ No Call?

2) Runner on 2nd, Right handed batter up to bat - The batter takes the pitch as the runner on 2nd attempts to steal 3rd. Catcher throws the ball to 3rd and hits the batter in the back of the head as the batter had not moved her feet to step out of the way, luckily moved her head though. Interference/ or the batter has a right to stand in the box?

1) Unless the umpire judges that the catcher aimed at the batter instead of actually attempting to make the play, this is interference. Softball rules don't provide an exception for slappers versus any other batting style, if a batter is out of the box and interferes with a play, irrespective of reason or intent, it is interference. Batter is out, runner returns to 1st.

2) The batter is not guilty of interference while maintaining a position in the batter's box except for the requirement to vacate and avoid interfering with a play at the plate. The batter can and should be ruled out for interference while still in the batters box if she takes any action other than a natural attempt to hit the pitch, AND that action is judged by the umpire to interfere with a play; this includes an unnatural swing after the ball has reached the catcher, or any step in any direction while within the box not associated with the attempt to hit the pitched ball (so, forward stride is acceptable, but not stepping back). The key word is "actively"; maintaining a position is not an action, it is the catcher's responsibility to clear the batter on a throw if the batter is where she is entitled to be.

Both rules and rulings point out the batter is expected to only attempt to hit the pitched ball, and the catcher is expected to know that the position of the batter is where she is in the batter's box when she takes the pitch or attempts to hit the pitch. They are both separately accountable for failing to know where that is.