Softball tackle? and the recovery.

[Strike2]

She's running with the head down until the very last instant. Her arms go up to protect herself. She doesn't brace herself or lower her shoulder as if she's planning to do it. Since 1B is looking up, of course she got the worst of it.

This is obstruction on the 1B because C is the protected infielder here (after all, she's the one camped under the ball/the one who caught the ball).

I'm pulling my team off the field and out of the tournament if my player is ejected for this. I'm also going to consider legal action against the organization if my team isn't refunded in full. There's absolutely no justification for an ejection here when the 1B was the one at fault and the runner very clearly didn't do anything on purpose.

A number of years ago, a player on DD's team did the same thing in the same circumstances. She was quickly ejected. In the moment, I'm not sure what form of mind reading the umpires used to decide malicious contact, but the crew acted without hesitation. What the umpires didn't know was that DD's team mate was a jerk and had a history of this sort of thing...she fully deserved to get tossed.

1B is clearly attempting a play on a batted ball. She is completely legal in what she's doing when she gets trucked by a batter-runner who is, to put it charitably, oblivious to where she's going. While it's something less than certain, there's plenty of justification for an ejection. What is certain is that calling the 1B "at fault" is absurd. Another thing is certain...if that runner is safe at 1B after that, I'd be pulling my team off the field.

 

[Strike2]

I was responding the The Man in Blue on whether it was an interference call and "how to interpret it" - it was 100% interference whether it was malicious or not and I've heard opinions both ways. I tend to think the best of people but my kid is not small - and she does not go down easily. I won't say it was intentional BUT I will say this - my kid would have apologized at some point. THIS kid did not - at all. No acknowledgment of that "unfortunate accident" at all and actually a little disgust she was called for interference. That's all.

Pop-ups on the 1B side are fairly common, but a collision of this sort is very rare. In youth ball over a period of 15 years, I only personally saw a collision like this one time (see my comment above). I've never seen it happen live in HS or college game. There's a reason for that...it's a very hard thing to do "accidentally". This isn't a case of physics bringing two fast-moving players together. One is nearly stationary...looking up. The other is moving full speed straight ahead. I can't tell if the runner is looking at where she's going or not but, at the very least, there's a gross indifference to what's in front of her. Given the ability of 99%+ of runners to avoid a collision in that situation, it's easy to drift towards "purposeful" when a collision of that severity happens.

IMO, how people react after making a "mistake", especially one that hurt someone, is a solid indicator of their "intent".

 

[Tazman]

My first instinct was malicious intent but after watching the replays carefully it looks to me like she pulls up and is back on her heals rather than on her toes and definitely no shoulder down. I'd still say 1B had rights to that ball and was protected. I would have tossed her if I was the ump but I think that would have been the wrong call.

 

[MoJo]

That is between her and her coaches. Multiple players have a play on this ball - the umpire has to choose one for protection.


She looked pretty shook up as well. It wasn't her fault there was a collision - it was something that happened. Maybe a 'hope you are ok' but then I don't have further context for the feel of the game past the incident.

The catcher is definitely trying to make the play. Guess she wasn't at practice the day coach said pitchers and catchers don't try for pop ups.

I don't see kids seeking out someone that is constantly crying to talk to them.

This thread is really good.

 

[The Man In Blue]

My first instinct was malicious intent but after watching the replays carefully it looks to me like she pulls up and is back on her heals rather than on her toes and definitely no shoulder down. I'd still say 1B had rights to that ball and was protected. I would have tossed her if I was the ump but I think that would have been the wrong call.

While I highly disagree with much of what @Strike2 said, I think @Tazman encapsulated it well.

There is always an immediate reaction (players, fans, coaches, and yes, even some umpires) that a crash that looks bad must be ill-intended. Even @nikkilugi has some of those feelings coming into the thread.

Not all crashes are intended, let alone ill-intended. There are so many more "little" pieces an umpire needs to have before making a judgment on the side of malicious contact. The end result is NOT one of them.

 

[YoungBuck]

1B is clearly attempting a play on a batted ball. She is completely legal in what she's doing when she gets trucked by a batter-runner who is, to put it charitably, oblivious to where she's going. While it's something less than certain, there's plenty of justification for an ejection. What is certain is that calling the 1B "at fault" is absurd. Another thing is certain...if that runner is safe at 1B after that, I'd be pulling my team off the field.

Well said.

 

[The Man In Blue]

@nikkilugi ...

I haven't waded through case plays yet ... but I did find this in the NFHS Baseball rules while looking something else up. I usually staunchly advocate for not pulling rules from other codes (or across the yellow/white line), but it does provide basis for teaching umpires the concept of a singular protected fielder. Since softball doesn't have anything expressly contrary to this, I think it is safe to use the concept.

NFHS Baseball 4-2-g(1)

 

[nchesher]

IDT

Watching this just makes my heart and head hurt. Haley was looking straight up at the pop up. Technically being the higher number position it was her play as her coaches have always taught her. I just don't understand why any runner would try and make that much contact on a play since they are risking their wellbeing as well. What really blew my mind is that the umpires had to get together to determine if this was interference. Haley is as tough as they come - she was crying the rest of game after this hit which she doesn't normally do.

This happened on Thursday - she wasn't able to play defense Friday as she still had pain and her hitting was also off. However Saturday she came back with a vengeance just in time for bracket play. We were down 4-1 in our first game and she hit a 3 run home run oppo on a rise ball to tie the game - then her next at bat she hit another home run to seal the deal. Then her next game she hit an absolutely laser liner home run off of a very talented and very fast Boise State commit - she said she was one of the fastest pitchers she has ever seen. She actually almost had another oppo on her next AB but the right fielder sprinted and laid out catching the ball as she fell over the temp fence.

Neither the hitter nor 1B saw each other. Hitter is running with her head down and 1B is looking up at the ball. What is the issue here exactly? There's nothing malicious, accidents happen.

 

[MoJo]

Neither the hitter nor 1B saw each other. Hitter is running with her head down and 1B is looking up at the ball. What is the issue here exactly? There's nothing malicious, accidents happen.

How do YOU officiate the incident then and why?

Obstruction, Interference, or no call?

 

[nchesher]

How do YOU officiate the incident then and why?

Obstruction, Interference, or no call?

My point was more about the ejection talk but I'd lean towards batter interfering 1B since she should be looking where she's supposed to be running instead of the ground. If the runner had moved I think it's safe to say the ball could have been caught.