Batter Interference on Wild Pitch

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We were playing in a USSSA tourney this weekend and had a the following scenario:
Runner on 3rd, 2 outs. Wild pitch (not ball 4 or strike 3), bounces off screen and goes toward third base dugout. Right-handed batter backs away from batter's box, freezes, doesn't watch path of ball and has back turned to catcher, possibly thinking she is out of the way. Runner breaks for home, pitcher runs to cover home. Catcher flips ball to plate, runner already at plate easily ahead of pitcher and throw from catcher, but the ball hits batter on back of helmet as runner crosses plate.

Umpire calls batter out due to interference. No effect on final outcome of game, just an unusual occurrence.

1. Can this call be appealed/reversed given that runner would have scored anyway? Umpire wouldn't consider appeal immediately after the play.
2. If the batter had been out of the path between the catcher and the plate, and got hit by an off-line throw from the catcher, can it be appealed/reversed? In this case, it looked as if she was in or along the line of sight.

 

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A few questions: was the batter still in the box? Was the batter in line of the throw or off to the side?

We have had many umps telling us different stories this year. Some say stay in the box others say that the batter has to leave the box.

Where's Bretman on this one?

 

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The3dm: Batter stepped immediately backward out of box. It looked from where I was sitting that she was in the way. I think what she did was step back not realizing the ball was going to carom off toward the same side that she was standing, given that the throw got her on the back of the helmet.

What was disputed immediately was the runner would have been safe anyway, which was a fact that the pitcher would not have caught it and tagged the runner. The runner was about to cross the plate (within 2 steps) as the ball was released by the catcher. Umpire said no, it was interference on the batter, third out, end of inning.

 

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Here is what I find in the USSSA rules:

[highlight]Batter Interference
Batter Interference occurs while the batter is at bat and before she hits the ball. It takes
place when the batter:
Intentionally interferes with the catcher?s throw on an attempted steal or
Interferes with the catcher on a play at the plate. The batter?s box is not a
sanctuary for the batter when a play is being made at the plate.
Releases her bat in such a manner that it hits the catcher and prevents her from
making a play. If the batter merely drops her bat and the catcher trips over it, there
is no interference.[/highlight]

Hope this helps, sounds like the right call was made.