Play

[MTR]

R1 on 1B and R2 on 2B with no outs. B3 hits a fly ball between 1B and 2B. The umpires rule infield fly and the ball hits the ground in front of F4 and hits R2 who was returning to 1B while F4 is attempting to field the ball.

What is the call?

[3Bsnag]

I love these.

I'm gonna say batter out and runner on 1B safe returning to base. R1 not out because infield fly- dead ball ruled first.

??

[Clean_up]

I love these.

I'm gonna say batter out and runner on 1B safe returning to base. R1 not out because infield fly- dead ball ruled first.

??

This sounds right to me too... but what do I know....

[umpinva]

R1 on 1B and R2 on 2B with no outs. B3 hits a fly ball between 1B and 2B. The umpires rule infield fly and the ball hits the ground in front of F4 and hits R2 who was returning to 1B while F4 is attempting to field the ball.

What is the call?

Batter is out on the IFR and when the batted ball hits R2 you now have Intereference on R2, dead ball and R2 is out. R1 is returned to first base. Two outs and the OC may want to have a chat with you.

[Bretman]

Hmmm....that's a tricky one. I'll just take a wild guess off the top of my head...

Ruling:When the ball hit R2 between 1B and 2B the ball is established to be a fair ball and the umpires should call “Dead Ball”. B3 is out according to Rule 1 Definition Infield Fly. R2 is now ruled out for interference according to Rule 8 Section 7. The runner is out when struck with a fair untouched batted ball while not in contact with a base and before it passes another fielder excluding the pitcher or if it passes an infielder and another fielder has an opportunity to make an out. The runner is in jeopardy and is entitled to advance with liability to be put out according to rule 8 Section 4L, when an infield fly is declared and caught, runners may tag up and advance. If the ball is not caught, runners may advance at their own risk. Since the runner chose to run at risk then both the batter and runner are out in this play.

[anonlooker]

What Bretman said.

And note to 3bSnag, it's not a dead ball just because IFR was called.

[3Bsnag]

What Bretman said.

And note to 3bSnag, it's not a dead ball just because IFR was called.

I learned something new today. I guess we all just stayed on base because it would have been suicide to run.

I'm a whopping 0-2 on the rules trivia.

[DOUBLE_L]

R1 on 1B and R2 on 2B with no outs. B3 hits a fly ball between 1B and 2B. The umpires rule infield fly and the ball hits the ground in front of F4 and hits R2 who was returning to 1B while F4 is attempting to field the ball.

What is the call?

If R2 is on 2b when play began why is she returning to 1st?

[anonlooker]

R1 on 1B and R2 on 2B with no outs. B3 hits a fly ball between 1B and 2B. The umpires rule infield fly and the ball hits the ground in front of F4 and hits R2 who was returning to 1B while F4 is attempting to field the ball.

What is the call?

If R2 is on 2b when play began why is she returning to 1st?

Maybe it's a rec ball game?

[Bretman]

Because in "official softball lingo", most rule and case books number the runners in the order that they got on base, starting with the runner closest to home. So, in the sample play, R1 begins on second base, R2 begins on first.

Why do they do this? I couldn't really say- that's just they way it is. Most baseball rule books follow a different convention. R1 = first base, R2 = second base and R3 = third base (except for high school baseball, which follows the same numbering of runners as does softball).

There are pros and cons to either system. You just have to make sure that you know which system is being used when discussing a play to keep the runners straight. It looks like maybe the numers for the runners were accidentally flip-flopped in the first post.