Ruling on Field
- Thread starter UncleMosk
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ilyk2win
Addicted to Softballfans
Being a line drive as you described, I'd have a FOUL BALL. You never stated the ball touched the ground in fair territory, and struck the runner in foul territory....that is a foul ball! In all honesty though, I'm having difficulty in picturing how this could happen as described.
TWmccoy
3DX Connoisseur
It depends where exactly the ball was when it hit the runner. Was it foul or fair at the time? Based on what you describe, a runner jumped and was hit by a FAIR ball while off the base. If that is indeed the case it'd be a dead ball and he's out.
If the ball strikes the runner in FOUL territory it's simply a foul ball, regardless of whether the runner was on the base or not.
If the ball strikes the runner in FOUL territory it's simply a foul ball, regardless of whether the runner was on the base or not.
Bobby Buggs
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ELSoftballClub
Addicted to Softballfans
I can only imagine what the original poster might've been describing. Maybe he is trying to say the runner was standing in foul territory but his arm was hit when it was over the base line in fair territory?
blakcherry329
Well-Known Member
Sounds like the ball split the bag and the runner jumped into foul territory and got hit. In this scenario, dead ball and 1st and second. Not even sure this is physically possible, but ok.
hitless45
Addicted to Softballfans
This ^^^ ball has to touch ground in fair territory and pass over the bag in umps judgment to be a fair ball regardless of where it lands after that, line drive does not touch ground and hits runner in foul territory = foul ball pretty simple
UncleMosk
Well-Known Member
Obviously the other team was not happy on the call as the ball split the double base when the runner was hit in foul territory. Thanks all for the comments. Wish it was on video to share. I personally thought our runner on base was out for being hit but didn't have the angle to see what the ump claimed to see.
blakcherry329
Well-Known Member
yep, I totally forgot about where the line drive lands.
eddieq
The Great and Powerful Q
So, if the ball was over fair territory (split the base - meaning part of the ball was over fair territory) when it hit the runner, who was in contact with the base, that is a fair ball but the ball is dead, award the banner-runner first and advance anyone forced. That is the only scenario here where the runner advances. That assumes the runner did not contact the ball deliberately (in which case the runner is out, put the batter-runner on first).
If the ball was entirely over foul territory, then we just have a foul ball, strike on the batter. Since it's SP, if that's strike 3 then the banner-runner is out.
If the ball was entirely over foul territory, then we just have a foul ball, strike on the batter. Since it's SP, if that's strike 3 then the banner-runner is out.
ilyk2win
Addicted to Softballfans
Boy that would be hard to see live, with the naked eye as it happened without the use of slow motion replay.
eddieq
The Great and Powerful Q
Won't disagree there. And it's a judgement call. Was the ball fair or foul? Once we determine that disposition based on our judgement, we apply the appropriate ruling. That's why we get paid the small bucks.
EAJuggalo
Addicted to Softballfans
That is correct for USA Softball and I believe NSA. For USSSA, the ball is live and get what you get.
eddieq
The Great and Powerful Q
I should point out that, at least in USA - when the runner was struck by a fair batted ball, it's only dead if it has not passed an infielder (besides the pitcher or catcher) or if it has passed one, another infielder had a chance at making a play on it. If it has passed the infielder and no other infielder had a chance at a play, then the ball remains live and, as @EAJuggalo said, you get what you get. That's not a common scenario in SP as most of the time I see the players either behind or even with the bag.