re: ESpn2 Softball Hate Tigers

NCAA Rule Change (last year) LINK

quote:

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The committee made a small change in the wording of the obstruction rule, but expects to see fewer defenders blocking their bases sooner than they are entitled to. The specific wording replaces “about to receive a thrown ball” with “in the act of catching a thrown ball.” Players and umpires will no longer have to judge if the ball is closer to the base than the runner is, but instead whether the defender was positioning herself (not protected) or in the act of receiving the throw (protected). Although not new to the rule, in order for obstruction to be called, note that the runner must be impeded in some way such as by altering her course to the base or by being denied direct access to the base. Blocking access to the base with no noticeable effect on a runner remains a “no call.”

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So basically, the catcher stood in a spot directly in the path of the runner from third to the plate. The catcher never moved her feet from where she was standing while waiting for the throw, caught the ball and dropped directly down in Quinn's path to the plate. It's interference, and that's why it was an automatic call for the umpire.