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I was was scouting a league opponent the other day and the opposing team sent the runner from first in a 2-2 count.  The guy at the plate swung and missed and in the process lost his balance crossed home plate but never made contact with the catcher nor did the catcher have to double clutch or move.  He short hops the SS ball goes into CF and the runner ends up at third.  Home plate umpire initially sent the runner back to 1st then the umpires conferenced and ruled that it was intereference and because he crossed home plate that the runner was out.   Is that the correct call?

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The batter is out on strikes and if he interfered with the catcher, then the runner is out too.

 

Just because the batter was out of the box in front of the plate, it is not automatic interference, and contact is not required for interference.  The only required element is an attempted throw by the catcher - no throw attempt, no interference.  However, if the batter is out of the box in front of the plate, and the catcher attempts a throw, the benefit of the doubt is certainly going to the catcher.

 

In any event, if the plate umpire judges batter's interference, it should be called right away, and the play is allowed to continue.  If the catcher's initial throw retires the runner, the interference is ignored.  If not, the batter is out and the runner returns. In your example, the batter was already out on strikes, so the runner is out for the interference of the batter.

 

N.B.  Unlike other rules codes, under Federation rules, the second out is not automatic when the batter interferes after he strikes out.  It is umpire judgement.

In OBR the runner is definitely getting banged. In HS the umpire gets to judge if the runner may have made it. If so he just goes back, if not he is called out. I was protested on this very call last year. I banged the runner, the coach brought up the option and I told him the runner is still out. The only way he isn't is if it is obvious to all he had it. I have yet to see it happen. 

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