But was this the correct call?
This precise scenario is covered by Official Baseball Rule 6.01(a)(6): "If, in the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter-runner because of the action of their teammate. In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner."
College's rule is even stricter, not requiring "obvious intent" but simply intentional interference: "If a double play is likely, and the runner intentionally interferes with the fielder who is attempting to field or throw the ball, both the runner and batter-runner shall be declared out" (NCAA 8-5-d).
High school returns to OBR's "obvious" standard: "The batter-runner is out when any runner or retired runner interferes (2-21-1, 2-30-3) in a way which obviously hinders an obvious double play" (NFHS 8-4-1h).
In sum, this very likely should have been ruled a double play. | Video as follows:
Alternate Link: A runner fielded a live ball to break up a double play: is that legal?
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