re: Anyone else watching Sam Houston vs TCU?

The fielder was actually in front of the bag. That guy sucks at turning two if that's how he does it.

If the contact is flagrant or malicious after the runner touches
the base (plate), the runner is safe, but is ejected from the
contest. The ball is immediately dead and all other base
runners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the
interference. If this occurs at any base other than home, the
offending team may replace the runner.
If the contact occurs after a preceding runner touches home
plate, the preceding runner is safe. The ball is immediately
dead and all other base runners shall return to the last base
touched at the time of the contact.


So if they used this rule I can understand why the guy was tossed

I think the coach was tossed for arguing, not the runner. But my feed went out so i went to be in like the 18th

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The rule doesn't state the runner has to avoid contact.

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sliding late like he did is really no different than sliding out the baseline to try and nip the fielder. It wasn't natural contact and that is what they look for.

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Right. It was called because the TCU guy was blown the frick up.. Which isn't in the rule book.

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Technically correct. It is possible to make legal contact with a fielder.

However, the Sam guy was forced out about 405 steps before the bag. He had an opportunity to slide safely without making contact. With an option to avoid contact he chose to slide into the TCU runner. Thus why the call was made.

Also why the call will be made in the college game every single time.

The rule applied was this one:
(3) The runner must attempt to avoid a collision if he can reach the base
without colliding.

Rule 8 (base running) Section 7 in the NCAA rule book.

The rule doesn't state the runner has to avoid contact.


(3) The runner must attempt to avoid a collision if he can reach the base
without colliding.

Pretty cut and dry.

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sliding late like he did is really no different than sliding out the baseline to try and nip the fielder.

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The intent is the same, but one is legal and one is not.

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(3) The runner must attempt to avoid a collision if he can reach the base
without colliding.

Pretty cut and dry.

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Yes it is cut and dry, he couldn't reach the base without colliding since the fielder was in the baseline.

And your focus should be on the rule that's actually in question anyway, the "force play slide".

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He couldn't reach the bag without colliding. The fielder was standing in front of the bag.

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He was out 4 or 5 steps before he slid. Thus there was no need for him to take out the runner. If it was a bang bang play I would agree with you, but the force out happened a good 4 or 5 steps before the contact. He had time to avoid the fielder and instead chose to take him out. Since he was forced out prior to contact he, according to rule 8, is supposed to slide away from the bag to avoid contact.

At least that is the way the rule was explained at every rules clinic I've ever been to (I umpired for 15 years)

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He was immediately called out for the alleged interference, and was tossed for slamming the helmet, yelling, jumping around, and going crazy.

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Slight correction. He was called out on a force that occured before the contact. The runner going to first was called out on the interference.

And then yes he was tossed for slamming his helmet and going slightly insane

And for the record MOT, you aren't wrong at all in you interpretation of the rule. Just that baseball has about a million variations of the application of those rules.

If you ever go to a NCAA/NFHS rules clinic, which are great ways to cure insomnia btw, one of the major points of emphasis the stress is to protect the players. They stress that both runner and fielder have to make an effort to avoid contact.