Unique Situation... Whats the Call??

[google1]

We go over situations each week with my players.
They are required to search "unique" game situations for us to discuss
the outcomes, rules or the play in general.

One of them came across this situation this week and I'm not sure the correct call.
I thought I would ask here... I'm hoping that Bretman will enlighten me with what the
ruling would be and why...

Here is the situation....
* Runner on 3rd, batter bunts the ball...
(sqeeze play with runner going)
* the ball is bunted toward 3rd base line about 1 foot from the plate
* the ball has alot of back spin and appears it may go foul
(catcher does not touch the ball, instead watches it thinking its going to go foul)
* runner from 3rd is running to home and crosses over the still in fair territory/spinning ball
* as the runner crosses over the ball, her front foot touches home plate then her back foot touches the spinning ball as her running motion continues causing the ball to stop on the line and not going foul
* the runner's front foot touches home plate before her back foot touches the ball.
* the batter/runner reaches 1st uncontested
**** WHATS THE CALL AND WHY?

 

[RedsDad]

I'm sure I'll be corrected if wrong, but I believe the call would be that the run counts, and the batter/runner is out at first. My thought here is the runner, after scoring, interfered with a defensive player's opportunity to make a play on another runner (in this case the batter/runner at first base). As a result, the ball is dead and the runner closest to home plate at the time of the interference is declared out. Since you listed no other runners on the base paths in this scenario, I assume there are no others in the equation which leaves only the batter/runner to be called out. Had other runners been on base, again the runner closest to home would be declared out and each other runner must return to the last base touched at the time of the interference.

That's my best stab at answering this one, waiting to see if Bretman agrees! lol

 

[google1]

I'm sure I'll be corrected if wrong, but I believe the call would be that the run counts, and the batter/runner is out at first. My thought here is the runner, after scoring, interfered with a defensive player's opportunity to make a play on another runner (in this case the batter/runner at first base). As a result, the ball is dead and the runner closest to home plate at the time of the interference is declared out. Since you listed no other runners on the base paths in this scenario, I assume there are no others in the equation which leaves only the batter/runner to be called out. Had other runners been on base, again the runner closest to home would be declared out and each other runner must return to the last base touched at the time of the interference.

That's my best stab at answering this one, waiting to see if Bretman agrees! lol

This is what i told them i thought the correct ruling would be.
* runner safe at home
* dead ball - interference
* runner closes to home is out

I don't think a runner can be called out after they touch home plate...
In this situation, the runner at home didn't inpede with the catchers ability to make the play since the catcher was watching the ball anticipating it spinning into foul territory.

Yea, I'm hoping Bretman will chime in.... lol

 

[tjsmize3]

Rule 6.01(a) Penalty for Interference Comment (Rule 7.08(b) Comment): A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not.

If, however, the runner has contact with a legally occupied base when he hinders the fielder, he shall not be called out unless, in the umpire’s judgment, such hindrance, whether it occurs on fair or foul territory, is intentional. If the umpire declares the hindrance intentional, the following penalty shall apply: With less than two out, the umpire shall declare both the runner and batter out. With two out, the umpire shall declare the batter out.

From MLB rules, but I am assuming this may apply here.