Obstruction

Hink1927

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in a recent game we had a batter hit a line drive to right center. As she rounded first there was obstruction as signaled by the umpire. The batter/runner slid into third base ahead of the tag and was safe.

Since there was obstruction at first should the runner been sent home and would they be called safe?
 

UtilityDad

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No, based upon your description, she stays at third. Had the play resulted in a tagged out at third, then she would have been awarded that bag as a result with the play not resulting in an out. Same scenario however if the runner had gained third on the play and attempted for home. Had she been tagged out, she would have been awarded home with no out on the play.
 

BretMan2

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Without seeing the play we can't really answer this.

The penalty for obstruction is that at the end of the play the umpire can award any base necessary to negate the effects of the obstruction.

If the umpire judges that the runner would have scored without the obstruction, then he can award home. Unless this runner was completely knocked down and laid on the ground for a few seconds, it's probably not likely that they would have scored had they not been obstructed. But it's within the realm of possibility. Without seeing the play we can't say how much the runner got slowed down, so we can't say for sure what the base award should be.
 

Hink1927

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That answers the question. The runner could not have made it to Home regardless of the obstruction. Keep her at third. Thanks.
 

UtilityDad

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Thanks for the clarification BretMan, I was somewhere on the right track. Always like reading your assessments of plays/rules on here. Keep them coming.
 
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