Expert: Andrew Senger - 6/16/2009

Question
College baseball- ball is struck by batter propelling ball on ground thru I field
toward right field. Base runner running from first to second base is slightly
knicked by ball slightly deviating projected path. Because of velocity of ball
struck, neither 2nd baseman or firstbase man had play on ball and runner did
not have a moment to change his run. Is that considered interference
resulting with runner being called out? Thanks

Answer
Michael,

The main question to ask here is if the ball had passed any infielder other than the pitcher. If the ball had passed a fielder, then the runner did not commit interference.

However, if the ball had not passed a fielder, then the ball would be immediately dead, the runner would be called out, all other runners would return to the base they occupied at the time of the pitch, and the batter/runner would be awarded first base.

Keep in mind that "passing a fielder" doesn't mean they had to make a play on the ball. The umpire takes the fielder's position and determines if the ball was farther from the plate than the position of the fielder.