Runner hit by batted ball

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Is there a difference in how this is handled in High School, ASA and NCAA?

 

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Well it depends if the ball passes an infielder or not before striking the runner. If before it reaches a fielder runner is out and batter placed on 1st with a hit. If the ball passes a fielder who had a chance to field it then hits the runner, live ball.

 

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I didn't know that the batter received a hit--just knew runner was out.

 

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Dead ball; runner out; batter on by HIT

 

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NFHS Rule 8-6-11...
The runner is struck with a fair untouched batted ballwhile not in contact with a base and before it passes an infielder.....
Penalty The ball is dead and the runner is out. When a runner is called out for interference, the batter-runner is awarded 1st base and credited with a fielder's choice...

ASA is the same as the NFHS copied Rule 8 when they revamped a few years ago from the ASA book. Don't have an NCAA book handy.

 

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This one is pretty much universally applied in all softball codes.

But there are enough exceptions and "what-if's" to make your head spin!

Besides the already noted "passed a fielder" exception, you need to know if the ball deflected off a fielder, if it did, did the runner intentionally contact the ball or did another fielder have an opportunity to make a play or was the runner contacting a base when the ball hit her.

Each of those factors can effect whether or not the runner is out and if the ball is dead or live.

On a plain old-fashioned runner hit by untouched batted ball resulting in interference, the runner is out, the ball is immediately dead, the batter is placed at first base and is also credited with a hit.

 

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Here are current NCAA rules:

12.17.1 When an umpire, or a runner not in contact with a base, is struck by a fair batted ball after it has passed an infielder (other than the pitcher), and, in the judgment of the umpire, no other infielder had a reasonable chance to make a play.
12.17.2 When an umpire, or a runner not in contact with a base, is unavoidably struck by a fair batted ball after it touches or is touched by a fielder (including the pitcher), and no other fielder had a reasonable chance to make a play.
EFFECT (12.17.1 to 12.17.2)?The ball is live. The batter becomes a batterrunner and advances with liability to be put out. Each runner may advance with liability to be put out, whether forced or not.

12.17.4 When a runner is struck by a fair batted ball while not in contact with a base and:
12.17.4.1 Before the ball touches an infielder, including the pitcher;
12.17.4.2 Before the ball passes an infielder, excluding the pitcher, who has a reasonable chance to make a play; or
12.17.4.3 After passing an infielder, including the pitcher, and another fielder had a reasonable chance to make a play.
EFFECT?Runner interference. ?The ball is dead, and the runner is out. The batter-runner is awarded first base and credited with a base hit. Each runner not forced by the batter-runner must return to the last base legally touched at the time of the interference.

 

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Judging strictly by the scenario; likely it is live ball, runners at risk. Reasoning is that 1st base usually plays in front of the bag and two steps off first is too close to 1st base to assume that the 2nd baseman has a play on the ball.

 

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The NFHS book is the only one that specifically says fielder's choice.

ASA says place batter-runner at 1st, no mention of what to award in the scorebook.

 

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The NFHS book is the only one that specifically says fielder's choice.

Then maybe there is an error in the NFHS rule book- or, at least a conflict and a point that needs clarified.

I don't usually concern myself with scorekeeping rules, but I do hate it when there are conflicts in the rule book. Check out rule 9-3-2(b). This rule states that:

"A base hit is credited to a batter when the batter-runner advances to first base safely...without liability of being put out because a runner is declared out for being hit by the batted ball (8-1-2a), or the umpire is hit by a batted ball (5-1-1f)."

Obviously, both these statements can't be correct.

Possibly, the "fielder's choice" ruling under 8-6 applies to all the other forms of runner interference described in that section, while the one specific example of interference due to contact with the batted ball is the lone exception where a hit is credited.

That is the likely explanation- it's only a hit in that one instance, but a fielder's choice in all other cases. That would be consistent with other scoring guidelines I've studied.

 

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The NFHS rule quoted above resulting in runner out, batter on by FC was:

The runner is struck with a fair untouched batted ball while not in contact with a base and before it passes an infielder...

What does the NFHS rule book say about a runner being hit after the ball passes a fielder? Is it still a dead ball or is it now live (like it is in the NCAA rules).

 

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If the runner is hit AFTER the ball passes fielder, the ball stays live (runner not out unless another fielder has a play- same rule for all softball and baseball rule sets).

Of note: The ball must have passed within a reasonable reach of the fielder such that she had some chance of fielding the ball.

For example:

Runner on first advancing on batted ground ball. F3 and F4 are playing in, and in the vicinity of their respective bases. Runner is hit by ball about mid-way between first and second- behind the fielders, but kind of in a "no-man's land" where neither infielder had any play on the ball.

Even though the ball is "past" the infielders, since it did not pass "directly by or through" one of them, this runner would still be out and the ball ?would be dead.

Another way of looking at it is:

When a runner is hit by a batted ball she is always OUT and the ball is DEAD...with these EXCEPTIONS:

- The runner is in contact with a base and did not intentionally intefer with the ball (live or dead ball determination still depends if the ball went past the fielder or not).

- The ball passed immediately by or through an infielder before hitting her and the contact is not intentional (live ball, play continues)

- The ball first deflected off of another fielder and the contact was unavoidable (live ball, play continues).

I *think* that covers all the bases... :

 

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Bret

Does it say infielder? or just fielder. Does the term "play by another fielder" include outFIELDER?

Just a question that came up during a game one time when the outfield was way up for a play at home

 

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For the purposes of this rule, any player stationed in the infield area can be defined as "an infielder". If the ball passes them and another fielder- ANY fielder, even an outfielder- has a chance to make a play, then the runner is out.

(See ASA Rule 1, Definitions, Infielder and Rule 8-7-K)

 

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Question, according to the senario, with most likely the ball would have already passed an infielder, the first baseman, and stating just off base, then wouldn't the runner be safe? If the ball struck the baserunner that quick then only the outfielder would have a reasonable chance at the ball? Just throwing a wrench into the works.

 

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In this scenario, the ball already passed the 1st baseman and the 2nd baseman would not have had a play so the ball is live, both runners continue and if the batter gets to 1st safely, it is scored as a hit.

So coaches, tell your players to continue playing the ball or running the bases if a batter gets hit. And have your rule book handy.

 

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Question, according to the senario, with most likely the ball would have already passed an infielder, the first baseman, and stating just off base, then wouldn't the runner be safe? ?If the ball struck the baserunner that quick then only the outfielder would have a reasonable chance at the ball? Just throwing a wrench into the works.

If the outfielder was playing in really close and, in the umpire's judgment, did actually have some reasonable chance of making a play, then he could rule interference. I'd have to see the outfielder pretty darn close, the ball hit hard enough to get to her that quickly and also hit on a general line right at her.

Also, note the ASA definition of "a play" (see Rule 1, Definitions). It is "An attempt by a defensive player to retire an offensive player". In other words, just having the ball hit in the general direction of a fielder, where she might eventually field the ball, is not in itself "a play" There must also be some reasonable opportunity for the defender to actually record an out.

In this scenario, the ball already passed the 1st baseman and the 2nd baseman would not have had a play...

Then, in that case, the likely call is no out on the runner and the ball remains live.

But first, the umpire would have to judge that:

- The ball passed through or within a reasonable vicinity of F3 that she could have fielded the ball.

- The runner behind F3 did nothing else intentional to contact the ball.

- An outfielder wasn't really, really close and the conditions weren't such (as described above) that the outfielder had a chance to make a play.

So coaches, tell your players to continue playing the ball or running the bases if a batter gets hit. ?And have your rule book handy.

And umpires- if you rule interference, immediately raise your hands, declare "Dead ball!" and make sure your signals are loud and clear enough that everybody knows what's going on!

On the baseball side of things, if this contact was not ruled interference, they tell us to give a safe signal and say, "That's nothing!", to let everyone know the ball is still live and the runner is not out. I don't believe that mechanic is in the softball umpire manuals- but I will slip it in sometimes on plays like this one.

 

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not everyone knows that bret, thanks for that..... You know your stuff!!

 

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I will have to admit that, on the internet, you get the luxury of double checking the rule book before making a call.

The tricky part is having all this stuff crammed in your brain and being able to instantly recall it, in a split-second on a close play, in the heat of battle on the softball field.

That's one reason why I like discussing topics like this. If I'm forced to read or discuss the actual rule enough times, something is bound to stick!

 

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ok bretman... I have read and re-read these and still am confused. We had a similar situation at our game last week. Batter #1 is walked. Batter #2 hits and is thrown out at first, Batter #1 now on 2nd base. Batter #3 hits the ball just to the left of 2nd base. SS is there to field the ball, but it hits Batter #1 as she starts toward 3rd base. She kicks the ball with her foot. She is called out immediately. Batter #3 makes it to 1st base safely. SS would have made the play if it hadn't hit the runner.

Pitcher had a "no hitter " up until this play. Looking at the rules on here, it passed by the pitcher, but no other fielder. Is Batter #3 on by a hit or FC?