Author Topic: Rules Difference Question: Fed Softball vs. Baseball  (Read 6263 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline ref4e

  • *
  • Posts: 25
  • FAN REACTION: +2/-2
  • An outstanding official usually doesn't stand out
Rules Difference Question: Fed Softball vs. Baseball
« on: May 26, 2013, 08:53:56 PM »
OK, I'm a current football official and former baseball umpire.   This play happened in a high school softball tournament game (federation rules) locally.

One out, runner on 2nd.  Long fly ball hit to centerfield.    Ball strikes the top of the 4' high fence and bounces high into the air.   CF reaches over the fence and catches the ball.   Runner sees this and freezes.   Umpires signal 'no catch', but BR stops at first and runner stays at 2nd.    Argument ensues...defensive team wants an out, offensive team wants a home run.

In my years doing baseball, I would have ruled this no catch, and the play would have stood with runners on 1st and 2nd and one out.    The umpires ended up calling it a ground rule double. 

However, the coach of the offensive team claimed after the game that the Fed softball rules were changed this year, and because the ball 'broke the plane' of the fence in fair territory, it's a home run.

Is this true, or is the coach shooting a line of crap?    Rule references, please.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2013, 08:56:36 PM by ref4e »

Offline J12

  • *
  • Posts: 127
  • FAN REACTION: +5/-4
  • Without officials... it is only recess.
Re: Rules Difference Question: Fed Softball vs. Baseball
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2015, 11:16:07 PM »
Wouldn't this simply be a ball in play? Wouldn't this be the same as if the fielder caught the ball after it hit the face of the wall?

Offline bkdow

  • *
  • Posts: 239
  • FAN REACTION: +9/-3
  • Striving for the impossible level of perfection
Re: Rules Difference Question: Fed Softball vs. Baseball
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2015, 12:03:05 PM »
I only have NFHS rules.  NFHS case book 8.4.3:
B1 hits a long fly ball to center field.  F8 goes back to the fence and leaps in an attempt to make the catch.  The ball goes past F8, deflects off (a) the top of the fence and lands in the outfield; (b) the top of the fence, strikes the fieler's glove and ricochets over the fence in fair territory; (c) F8's outstretched glove and goes over the fence; or (d) the top of the fence and goes over in fair territory.

In (a), the hit is a live, ground ball. In (b), a ground-rule double is ruled.  When the ball ricocheted off the fence and then off the fielder's glove, it was no longer in flight and cased the hit to be ruled a double.  In (c) and (d), it is a home run.

Not sure it applies but it is all I could find.
"Don't let perfection get in the way of really good." John Lucivansky