Another Interference Question

[tghorley]

Today in a NSA game (12u), runner was on second with two outs. Ball is hit to short stop and runner on second starts to run. She stops in front of the ball so it does not hit her and the ss catches the ball. She becomes confused and doesn't know whether to tag the runner or to make the throw to first. The 2nd base runner resumes her race to third base. The ss throws the ball to first and is late. It is at this point, the base umpire calls the runner going from 2nd to 3rd out for interference. At no time did the ball hit the runner or did she impede the ss from fielding the ball and making the throw to first. My question is how, why, when, where, what, etc? My thinking is the runner on second could have stopped and done a hula dance and it shouldn't be called interference if the shortstop could make a play.

PS: I make the hula reference just because the runner is good at it.

 

[Comp]

As with any play, would have to see it for myself, but, based on description dont know how this could be interference if the SS fielded the ball cleanly and then couldnt decide to tag the runner or throw to first.

 

[BretMan]

I have seen similar plays where the runner stops right in front of the fielder and pulls an Academy Award winning performance to make it look like she was dodging the ball, when it was pretty obvious to me that her intent was to screen, distract or impede the fielder.

Not saying that was the case here, but illustrating that it is possible for interference to be called without the runner contacting the ball or fielder, and even possible that the fielder may actually get the ball after interference has occured. Any fielding of the ball after the interference happened would be moot, as the ball is immediately dead on the infraction.

It is a lot more convincing if the umpire kills the play and calls interference right when it happens and not so far after the fact.

As for the "what, why, who, huh?" part of it...if there was any question about why interference was called, the coach should have requested time and civily asked the umpire about his call. And any umpire approached in that manner should be able to calmly explain his reasoning. Did that ever happen?

 

[tghorley]

Yes, he did ask for an explanation calmly, but apparently didn't like the answer as he went ballistic, which was totally out of character for him. As a matter of fact, we have been trying to get him to show a little emotion, with the girls, not the umps. Unfortunately, the umpire did not make the call until the ball was too late to get the runner at first. Several of us parents reviewed the play on two different video cameras at two different angles and (of course this was on small screens) but we still did not see what the ump was calling. I never had a chance to ask the coach as that was the last out of the game and tournament, and I guess he went looking for the UIC.

And thanks for commenting on the hula dance part of the question, I did not realize that could be called.