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Batter Interference?


Question
This happened during a HS Varsity softball game - Runner on 3rd, the pitch comes in and bounces off the catcher's glove to their left.  The catcher scrambles to get the ball, blocking the batter from backing out of the batter's box.  The batter moves in front of the batter's box so they are standing in the V formed by the 3rd base line and the top of the batters box holding their bat with both hands perpendicular to their body.  Meanwhile the runner from third is coming in and the pitcher has moved to cover home as the catcher tosses the ball to them.  There wasn't any call made against the batter and the runner was ruled safe as the pitcher didn't make the tag.

My question is this - Is there a rule to where the batter is allowed to go when trying to avoid interference?  It seems that by staying where she did, she made it difficult for the pitcher and catcher to make the play, but also jeopardized all 3 of the other players as they also had to avoid her bat.

Answer
Tabatha,

There is not a rule to where the batter must go, but they must move into a position on the field so they avoid interfering with the play at home in your scenario.

This sounds like a situation that the batter put herself in great jeopardy of interfering with the play.  It would be pretty hard to move into a position in front of the plate and not interfere with the play.  The only way I would not call interference in this situation would be if the runner would clearly be safe on cleanly made play.

Tom  

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