Base guarding?

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What are the rules on base guarding in fastpitch? ?I seen on a baseball game where a runner stealing from first to second and shortstop guarding the base some what with his knee down almost making it impossible for the runner to be safe. ?The runner was of course out at second. ?I know you can guard home plate but what about other bases? ?Does it vary depending on different tournaments? ?Thanks in advance for any information.

 

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Actually, you cannot even guard (block) homeplate unless the defensive player doing the guarding has possession of the ball. ?This goes for all bases.

 

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Fastpitch softball has a different rule for blocking a base than does baseball.

In baseball, a fielder may occupy a position in front of the base if he is legitimately in that position to receive a thrown ball.

(Even that is a general statement. Little League rules are different, as are the rules for some of the various youth organizations. The above statement applies to high school level and above, which I'm sure the game you saw on TV was.)

For fastpitch softball, a fielder cannot block any base without possession of the ball. If they do, and then they impede the runner, they can be called for obstruction.

(And, again, that is a bit of a generalization. Different levels and organizations will have slight nuances on blocking a base. The above statement is applicable for high school, ASA and most all youth softball.)