What is the Rule for this situation?

UTBaseball10+ posts

Runner on 3rd base, the batter hits a ground ball passed the pitcher to the left side of the field and it hits the field umpire. The ball carems off of the umpire and the pitcher fields the ball and throws to first. The runner at 3rd base goes home.

The field umpire declares a "dead ball" and returns the runner to 3rd base and awards 1st base to the batter.

Haven't ever been at a game where this happened. I assume that it is similar to a dead ball happening when a batted ball strikes another base runner, the struck runner is out, any other base runner is returned to the base they previously occupied.

Just don't know what rule applies to the above situation.

Thanks.

4/1/093:24 PM

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Jimmy031,000+ posts

quote:
Originally posted by UTBaseball:
Runner on 3rd base, the batter hits a ground ball passed the pitcher to the left side of the field and it hits the field umpire. The ball carems off of the umpire and the pitcher fields the ball and throws to first. The runner at 3rd base goes home.

The field umpire declares a "dead ball" and returns the runner to 3rd base and awards 1st base to the batter.

Haven't ever been at a game where this happened. I assume that it is similar to a dead ball happening when a batted ball strikes another base runner, the struck runner is out, any other base runner is returned to the base they previously occupied.

Just don't know what rule applies to the above situation.

Thanks.

Umpire interference.

The umpire should have immediately called time. The ball is dead when it hit the umpire, batter gets first, runners may not advance unless forced.

Umpire should re-evaluate his positioning and his focus and possibly his weight and mobility. This can't be avoided 100% of the time, but it should be avoided 99.99%% of the time.

4/1/094:12 PM

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UTBaseball10+ posts

1. Do happen to know the specific rule associated with this ruling?

2. I'm assuming since it is interference that the runner is "Awarded" first and is not credited with a hit.

Thanks for your help.

Charlie

4/1/094:18 PM

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3FingeredGlove1,000+ posts

6.08 The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without liability to be put out (provided he advances to and touches first base) when—
......
(d) A fair ball touches an umpire or a runner on fair territory before touching a fielder.
If a fair ball touches an umpire after having passed a fielder other than the pitcher, or having touched a fielder, including the pitcher, the ball is in play.
.......

As shown in the scoring forum, it is a base hit.

4/1/099:54 PM

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Jimmy031,000+ posts

quote:
Originally posted by 3FingeredGlove:
6.08 The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without liability to be put out (provided he advances to and touches first base) when—
......
(d) A fair ball touches an umpire or a runner on fair territory before touching a fielder.
If a fair ball touches an umpire after having passed a fielder other than the pitcher, or having touched a fielder, including the pitcher, the ball is in play.
.......

As shown in the scoring forum, it is a base hit.

I believe this was a high school game. In FED the rule is pieced together from rule 2-21 and 5-1.
It is expressed completely only in the casebook in 5.1.1 situation I:

With R3 and R1, a batted ball hits the umpire who is ....(b) behind the pitcher but in front of F4. Ruling: unless the ball touches F1, it becomes dead and each runner is sent to the base that he occupied or was being forced when the ball became dead i.e., R3 remains on third R1 is forced to second and B/R goes to first.

Note: Runner references changed from FED to normal notation.

4/1/0910:26 PM

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dash_riprock1,000+ posts