Infield Fly runner kept running - interference?

[Coach Gary D]

Another odd play I'm left wondering about...
HS SB, runners on 1st (R1) and 2nd (R2), with one out. Infield fly ball hit and infield fly called, batter out to get two outs. Very few infielders and coaches heard this call verbalized however. We'll call the batter R0.
Fly is dropped and both runners panic and try to advance. The fun begins. Fielder throws to second but throw is high and sails to CF backing up. CF throws late to home to try to get R2. Catcher then throws to second to try to get R0, who of course was out immediately on the infield fly but is still running bases. Her throw is also high and sails to CF, who throws to third. The third baseman tags out R0 running to third. For a moment she thinks that's three outs, but she then spins and throws home late as R1 scored. Ump asks tagged R0 at third "were you the batter?" and realizes there's not an extra out there and that the run counts.

At what point is a runner who continues to run bases after being called out, guilty of interference? The call on the field was that since R0 did not hinder the play on R1 or R2, there's no call. As head coach, I disagree. I argued if the umps didn't know who the batter was, how could the defense be expected to? We threw to several bases trying to get her and then relaxed a bit when we thought we tagged her for out #3.

 

[DNeeld]

At what point is a runner who continues to run bases after being called out, guilty of interference? The call on the field was that since R0 did not hinder the play on R1 or R2, there's no call.

As far as I know, that is the correct call. The batter could only be guilty of interference if she, well, interferes in some way. Running around and causing chaos isn't against the rules as long as it is not intentional unsportsmanlike conduct. Its really no different than a runner thinking they have a walk and heads to first but really only had 3 balls or thinks there is a dropped third strike and runs to first, but it is really only strike 2.

In general, its the fielder's duty to know the situations. I don't know if any rule sets have a "deception" rule.

 

[SoulFY]

Another odd play I'm left wondering about...
HS SB, runners on 1st (R1) and 2nd (R2), with one out. Infield fly ball hit and infield fly called, batter out to get two outs. Very few infielders and coaches heard this call verbalized however. We'll call the batter R0.
Fly is dropped and both runners panic and try to advance. The fun begins. Fielder throws to second but throw is high and sails to CF backing up. CF throws late to home to try to get R2. Catcher then throws to second to try to get R0, who of course was out immediately on the infield fly but is still running bases. Her throw is also high and sails to CF, who throws to third. The third baseman tags out R0 running to third. For a moment she thinks that's three outs, but she then spins and throws home late as R1 scored. Ump asks tagged R0 at third "were you the batter?" and realizes there's not an extra out there and that the run counts.

At what point is a runner who continues to run bases after being called out, guilty of interference? The call on the field was that since R0 did not hinder the play on R1 or R2, there's no call. As head coach, I disagree. I argued if the umps didn't know who the batter was, how could the defense be expected to? We threw to several bases trying to get her and then relaxed a bit when we thought we tagged her for out #3.

This falls under interference by a retired runner. Said HS so assuming its NFHS rules, a runner continuing to run AND drawing a throw MAY be considered interference. In your case I would say that it would be interference as the batter runner was already out and drew a throw to 3rd while the runner at 1st was allowed to score because of it.

Since R2 had already scored before any throws to the batter runner happened, score the run and called R1 out as she is now the closest runner to home.

 

[CoachJD]

This falls under interference by a retired runner. Said HS so assuming its NFHS rules, a runner continuing to run AND drawing a throw MAY be considered interference. In your case I would say that it would be interference as the batter runner was already out and drew a throw to 3rd while the runner at 1st was allowed to score because of it.

Since R2 had already scored before any throws to the batter runner happened, score the run and called R1 out as she is now the closest runner to home.

NFHS released a rule interpretation that covers this situation two months ago. The case play is about dropped third, but the reasoning for the interference applies to the OP's situation. Drawing the throw to second, which allowed the runner on third to score, should have resulted in an interference call.

 

[El Oso]

Another odd play I'm left wondering about...
HS SB, runners on 1st (R1) and 2nd (R2), with one out. Infield fly ball hit and infield fly called, batter out to get two outs. Very few infielders and coaches heard this call verbalized however. We'll call the batter R0.
Fly is dropped and both runners panic and try to advance. The fun begins. Fielder throws to second but throw is high and sails to CF backing up. CF throws late to home to try to get R2. Catcher then throws to second to try to get R0, who of course was out immediately on the infield fly but is still running bases. Her throw is also high and sails to CF, who throws to third. The third baseman tags out R0 running to third. For a moment she thinks that's three outs, but she then spins and throws home late as R1 scored. Ump asks tagged R0 at third "were you the batter?" and realizes there's not an extra out there and that the run counts.

At what point is a runner who continues to run bases after being called out, guilty of interference? The call on the field was that since R0 did not hinder the play on R1 or R2, there's no call. As head coach, I disagree. I argued if the umps didn't know who the batter was, how could the defense be expected to? We threw to several bases trying to get her and then relaxed a bit when we thought we tagged her for out #3.

You were right and the umpires were wrong. Something needs to be done about the current state of umpiring. It's terrible.

 

[tim_s]

i think the key here is did anyone actually hear the call?


the OP mentioned most of the INF and the batter did not hear the call; if the batter was not called out verbally, and the INF & BR continued to play on like a live play as a result, can one reasonably then call interference?

Agree that if the out was clearly called, and the BR (now an illegal runner) continued, it's clearly interference, the 2nd runner to score called out, inning over.......but based on what the OP posted, this may not be the case

 

[eddieq]

You were right and the umpires were wrong. Something needs to be done about the current state of umpiring. It's terrible.

Good morning Mr. Bear,

Reach out to any of the members of the national staff at USA Softball and ask how to go about becoming an umpire.

https://www.teamusa.org/usa-softball/umpires/national-umpire-staff

We'd love to have you.

 

[marriard]

You were right and the umpires were wrong. Something needs to be done about the current state of umpiring. It's terrible.

We are currently SHORT 30-40 umpires in my local area. No one is investing in umpiring and the number of new umpires is close to zero (and most don't last more than a few weeks)

Feel free to help reduce that number.

 

[Cougars]

We are currently SHORT 30-40 umpires in my local area. No one is investing in umpiring and the number of new umpires is close to zero (and most don't last more than a few weeks)

Feel free to help reduce that number.

I don't the exact numbers, but similar here. There are travel games posted, a month in advance, to the "master schedule" for umpires to select from, and it will be the day before the game and nobody is assigned.

My daughters and my time with softball will be done in about a month. On a Monday, I tell myself I would enjoy umping. Then I see how the parents act at a high school game on Tuesday.... or how sore I am just getting out of bed on Wednesday.... Thursday, umping seems like a possibility again.... Who knows. My son is doing about 10 games a week this summer. My daughter quit after a few games last summer.

 

[CoachJD]

You were right and the umpires were wrong. Something needs to be done about the current state of umpiring. It's terrible.

It is. Last night (13u, but I've used this guy for HS baseball... he's much worse than I realized): Runner on first. Ball hit back to the pitcher, runner starts to run to second. Pitcher tosses to first for the out on the batter-runner. Runner returns to first (1B didn't notice her).

Runner is standing on first as pitcher gets the ball and is standing in the circle. Coach screams for runner to go. She leaves the base. Umpire is just watching the play. No LBR call. After a couple seconds, the pitcher is alerted to the runner, tries to get her out, chaos, runner ends up on second. Umpire says the play continued because there was a force.

During a between-inning discussion, I discovered the umpire had no idea that the force was no longer in effect once the batter-runner was put out. He also didn't seem to have any clue about what the Look Back Rule was.

The common refrain is "You do it." Well, I can't. I already spend 95% of my free time coaching multiple teams. I did my part. I got one of our former students into umping. He's not perfect, but he's better than almost every other umpire I see throughout the season at all levels. There's no excuse for umpires who are registered and patched to have such little knowledge of the game.