Out of play territory slow pitch softball

Question
Hello Dr. Ambrose,
                 My question is, if a fly ball is caught by reaching over a dead territory line and would have landed in dead territory is this an out or a foul ball in slow pitch softball?  Thank you in advance for your knowledge.
                                         Jim Ford  

Answer
Hi Jim,

It doesn't matter where the ball is in this case it only matters where the player is.

If the player is in playable territory it would be an out with a legal catch.

Let define it a little more (I've got a few minutes)... if a line is used to designate dead ball territory as long as a foot is not completely in dead ball territory we would have a catch.  The foot or feet can be touching the line but not be completely across.

If it's a fence, they can climb the fence and reach over into dead ball territory and we would have a catch and an out.

If it's a collapsible fence they could knock the fence down and as long as both feet (or no foot was in dead ball teritory) were standing on the fence, we would have a catch and an out.

If after catching the ball for an out their momentum takes them into dead ball territory we would have a dead ball and award base(s)if there were runner(s).

Mark