“You Make the Call”

The following are actual situations that have occurred in Mercer Island Little League this season.  What’s the right call?  Answers are at the end.

1. Runner sliding into 3^rd base. Ball is thrown to 3^rd and hits runner. Ball deflects off runner and into the parking lot.
   1. Runner is out
   2. Runner is safe and remains at 3^rd
   3. Runner is awarded home.
   4. Runner is called for interference and goes back to 2^nd.

2. Batter hits ball which settles on home plate.
   1. Ball is fair
   2. Ball is foul
   3. Ball is dead
   4. Batter is out

3. A batted ball first lands in foul territory a few feet in front of home plate and then rolls into fair territory in front of 1st base.
   1. Ball is fair
   2. Ball is foul
   3. Ball is dead
   4. None of the above until touched by a fielder

4. Bases are loaded. Runner on 2^nd leaves early. Batter hits a single. No runners are thrown out.
   1. Runner on 2^nd is out
   2. Batter is out
   3. All runners return, including batter. Hit does not count.
   4. All runners advance except 3^rd, who is removed. No run is scored.

5. Runner on 1st leaves early. Batter hits a single. Throw to 2nd arrives after the runner.
   1. Runner who left early is out.
   2. Both runners are safe.
   3. Batter is out, runner who left early must go back to first.
   4. Runner who left early is out, batter is safe.

6. Batter swings at a pitched ball which hits the batter on the hand.
   1. Batter is awarded 1^st base.
   2. Batter is out.
   3. It’s a strike
   4. Ball is dead. No pitch.

7. A pitched ball hits the ground in front of the batter and then hits the batter as he attempts to get out of the way.
   1. Ball is dead when it hits the ground.
   2. Batter awarded 1^st base.
   3. Pitch is called a ball because it hit the ground first.

8. Batter swings at a pitched ball and hits the catcher’s glove while the catcher is attempting to catch the ball. Batter misses ball.
   1. Batter is out
   2. Batter is awarded 1^st base for interference
   3. A strike is called
   4. Delayed dead ball is called.

9. Batter is walked. While batter is proceeding to 1^st the catcher casually throws the ball to 1^st. 1^st baseman conceals ball in mitt until after the batter arrives at base, settles, and then steps off base. When the batter (now a runner) has stepped off the base, he is tagged by the first baseman.
   1. Batter-runner is out.
   2. Illegal play. Batter-runner is safe.
   3. Batter-runner awarded 2^nd base for trickery.
   4. Batter-runner awarded 2^nd base for defensive delay of game.

10. Ball is hit between 1^st and 2^nd base. 2^nd baseman charges toward first for the ball. 1^st baseman gets to ball first and then runs back toward 1^st. 2^nd baseman’s momentum takes him into the baseline where he collides with the batter-runner but this happens after the 1^st baseman has touched 1^st base.
    1. Batter-runner is out.
    2. Batter-runner is safe.
    3. Ball is dead and replayed.
    4. Batter-runner is awarded 1st base for obstruction.

11. Runner on second. Two outs. Batter hits a grounder to shortstop who attempts to field the ball in the baseline. While running down the baseline, the runner who is trying to advance to 3^rd collides with the shortstop who drops the ball. Runner continues on to 3^rd and then home where he crosses the plate before a dazed shortstop can make the play.
    1. Runner can only go to 3^rd
    2. Runner is out
    3. Runner scores
    4. Runner must go back to second.

12. While catcher is attempting to catch a batted pop fly in fair territory, the ball bounces out of catcher’s mitt. Catcher then extends his arm holding his mask and catches ball in mask.
    1. Batter is out.
    2. Batter is awarded 1^st
    3. Batter is awarded 3rd
    4. Ball is dead.

BONUS:

A fair batted ball hits the base runner standing on 3^rd base. What is the proper call?

5. Runner is safe, ball is dead, batter awarded first base.
6. Runner is safe, ball is live.
7. Runner is out, ball is dead, batter awarded first base.
8. Runner is out, ball is dead, batter is out.

Answers:

1. c   7.05(g)
2. a   2.00 Fair Territory
3. a   2.00 Fair Ball
4. d   7.13(c) ex.15
5. b   7.13(b) ex. 1
6. c   6.05(e)
7. b   6.08(b)
8. b   6.08(c) and 2.00 Interference(b)
9. a   7.08(c) 
10. d   7.06(a)
11. b   7.08(b) and 7.09(l)
12. c   7.05(b)

BONUS  c   7.08(f)