Pushing players down

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In game tonight, runner heading to third after errant throw to second. Pitcher went to cover third, and was standing on bag. As runner came into third she shoved both hands into pitcher's chest and knocked her flat to the ground. Umpire ruled obstruction on pitcher. Are two handed shoves allowed?

 

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Not the most sportsman like thing in the world, but without seeing it she could have just been bracing her self. Then again, stand on the tracks, youre liable to get run over.

 

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Where was the ball at when the collision occurred? So the runner was awarded home?

 

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Ball was in route from second to third. Pitcher ended up face first in foul territory, so the ball rolled to the fence and the runner ran home. That was when umpire said pitcher obstructed and the runner had the right to shove her to the ground. I guess the question is, is that malicious contact? USSSA rules (which they were going by) state runner is out if malicious contact is made and that malicious contact supersedes obstruction.

 

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What age group are we talking here before I comment?

 

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Hard for us to judge malicious contact without having seen play ...

 

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It's hard to tell based on the description what really happened. As is the case in most instances, you really have to be there to see it and form an opinion. However, who in the world taught the pitcher how to cover a base? If she was standing in the middle of the base waiting on a throw I would say she's lucky all that happened was she ended up on the ground in foul territory. Would you prefer that the runner slid feet first and took out both of her ankles?

 

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I've seen too many times in high school ball (assumption), player standing on the bag and impeding the runner. Knowingly or unknowingly runner stops or slows down, in this scenario I would expect my kids to knock the player down then this wouldn't happen again. If it was a close play, I would wonder why my DD didn't slide and went in standing up.

 

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This is going to include some assumptions:

The pitcher was standing ON the bag without the ball. The way I see it, a two hand shove was not malicious. A punch, forearm shiver, spiking......those are malicious. The intent was to get the defender (without the ball) off the bag without a severe reduction in loss of speed, not to hurt the defender. I would say to the young lady covering 3rd to learn how to properly cover a base to avoid potential injury.


Len

 

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Gotta love the "forearm shiver" old school reference!!!

This is going to include some assumptions:

The pitcher was standing ON the bag without the ball. The way I see it, a two hand shove was not malicious. A punch, forearm shiver, spiking......those are malicious. The intent was to get the defender (without the ball) off the bag without a severe reduction in loss of speed, not to hurt the defender. I would say to the young lady covering 3rd to learn how to properly cover a base to avoid potential injury.


Len

 

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I've seen this a lot at 1st base too. Some players with the safety base at their home field have a tendency to block the whole base when there is no safety base. When the runner comes along and runs into the defensive player there's all kinds of gasps of horror about the collision. I would agree that two hands out for a shove is a lot better than slowing down or hitting the player with an elbow.

 

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Gotta love the "forearm shiver" old school reference!!!

I'm showing my age......lol

Len

 

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I'm showing my age......lol

Len

Apparently, there are many HS football coaches from our era too. My 16 YO knows what a forearm shiver is.

 

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player trying out for Miami heat maybe?