Defensive Obstruction Rule

The Amateur Softball Association of American sets the universal rules for softball in the United States. According to their official rule book, obstruction is when a defensive player affects or prevents a batter from swinging at a pitched ball or hinders the progress of a runner. For example, a catcher can be called for obstruction if the catcher's glove makes contact with the hitter’s bat or when a defensive player doesn’t have possession of the ball and blocks a base or base path. If the defensive player has the ball, she is allowed to block the base or base path to apply the tag for an out.

1. Catchers Obstruction – It is catcher’s obstruction when a catcher hinders or prevents a batter from swinging at a pitch. 2. A fake tag is an act by a defensive player that simulates an attempt to tag a runner. Faking a tag is always considered obstruction.

Effects of Obstruction Call

Once obstruction occurs, the umpire allows play to continue but immediately declares obstruction and signals for a delayed dead ball. If obstruction occurs with a hindered batter and the batter doesn’t make contact with the ball, the batter is given first base. If the batter does make contact with the ball, the play remains live in case she is able to move beyond first base. If the runner is out at first, the umpire awards the runner first base. If obstruction occurs with a runner and that runner is called out during the live play, that runner and any other runners are awarded bases.

When a runner is obstructed while advancing or returning to a base, by a fielder who neither has the ball nor is attempting an initial play on a batted ball, the Umpire shall award the obstructed runner, and each other runner affected by the obstruction, the bases they would have reached, in the Umpire’s judgement, had there been no obstruction.

A. If the obstructed runner advances beyond the base the runner would have reached, in the Umpire’s judgment, the runner advances with liability to be put out.

B. If any preceding runner is forced to advance by the awarding of a base or bases to an obstructed runner, the Umpire shall award this preceding runner the necessary base or bases.

C. The penalty for faking a tag is obstruction.

D. An obstructed runner may not be called out between the two bases where he was obstructed except as follows:

a. The obstructed runner obtains the base he would have been awarded had there been no obstruction and there is a subsequent play. The obstructed runner is no longer protected if he leaves the base.

b. The obstructed runner commits an act of interference or malicious contact.

c. The obstructed runner passes another runner.

d. A proper appeal is made for leaving a base too soon or for missing a base.

E. Note: When obstruction occurs, the Umpire gives the delayed dead-ball signal and calls out “obstruction”. If an award is to be made, the ball becomes dead when time is take to make the award.