quote:
Finally, not only must the runner be running illegally, but also he must interfere. A runner who runs up the grass to 1st base (illegal), but doesn’t interfere with the fielder receiving the ball at 1st is NOT guilty of Runner’s Lane Interference. As such, umpires will simply allow play to continue.

This is what yall are missing. The runner did NOT interfere with that catch bc the ball was there first and Jones couldn’t get to it.

If Jones catches it and gets bulldozed and drops the ball, it’s an out.

If Milazzo hits the runner with the ball, it’s an out.

If Milazzo throws the ball to the giant standing on 1B, it’s an out.

Literally only one way that play happens bad for LSU and it happened last night bc the ball wasn’t catchable and therefore no one interfered with the catch.

More from that link

quote:
It is generally accepted that a throw must be catchable in order to invoke this penalty, but umpires will side with the defense in this judgement more often than not if the runner was illegal running up the lane. The NCAA rule adds a clause which does not exist in the MLB rule book (Rule 5.09 (a) (11)) or the NFHS book ( Rule 8 Section 4 Article 1 (g)) which is “hinders or alters the throw of a fielder.” As a result, in NCAA a non-catchable throw could be more easily adjudged as interference by an umpire who believes that the position of the runner prevented or altered the fielder from making a catchable throw.

This post was edited on 5/11/24 at 8:29 am

2 ...

Report Post

Posted by ramchallenge

Member since Nov 2009

3054 posts

Posted on 5/11/24 at 8:56 am to notbilly

What do you expect... it's Alabama and it's Birmingham?! Enough said!

2 ...

Report Post

Posted by ChineseBandit58

Pearland, TX

Member since Aug 2005

43139 posts

Posted on 5/11/24 at 9:53 am to notbilly

quote:
Literally only one way that play happens bad for LSU and it happened last night bc the ball wasn’t catchable and therefore no one interfered with the catch.

This is sort of my interpretation also - I had to read up on this rule - never knew much about it because I was taught to stay in the proper running lane.

The one time I did run in fair territory, I got called out. (that is how I learned about the rule -

)

I still think that deliberately running inside fair territory for a ball that will be put in play behind you should be an automatic out - because that makes the fielder make a more difficult throw. The lane is there to ensure fair play - there should not be an exception to reward UNFAIR play.

But the rule is written as it is written - and that leaves it up to umpire's judgement on what is an 'easy play' vs 'more difficult play'

The umpires have enough to sort out in real time -

and Alabama refs do not need more latitude in exercising their 'discretion' - especially vs LSU