Girls U11 Softball

Question
Dear Mark,

If the bases are loaded with one out and the ball is hit between second and third base, the third baseman attempts to field the ball, the ball bounces off her glove and the base runner from second to third steps on the ball?

1.  Is the runner safe or out?  
2.  Is the ball live or dead?  
3.  What bases do the runners advance to?

Thank you,

James

Answer
Hi James,

The runner is not out if a runner is hit with a fair batted ball after it touches or is touched by any fielder and the runner could not avoid contact with the ball.

In this case if the runner could not avoid contact with the ball we continue to have a live ball and just play on.

If there was a defensive player who had the opportunity to make an out in the area and she could have reasonably avoided stepping on the ball, we had a dead ball, runner is out and return all runners back to the base they last touched at the time of interference.

Mark

Hi again James,

thank you for your feedback

I guess the rule still leaves umpire judgement based on "reasonably avoided stepping on the ball" and "opportunity to make an out in the area"? Thank you very much.

I'm not sure I understand your comment.  Of course the rule still leaves room for the umpire to judge if the runner could not avoid contact with the ball or purposely interfered w/ an defensive player's opportunity to make an out.  Most of what we do during a game are judgement calls, ball, strikes, outs and safes.  Interference is a judgement call if the runner hindered, impeded or confused a defensive player attempting to make a play.  Just because a ball deflects of a defensive player does not give a runner free rein to do what they want.