Baseball trivia- 10 pts :)?

Question

The bases are loaded. The score is 4-4. Team A is playing Team B. It is the bottom of the 9th. Batter hits the ball down the right field line. It goes to the right field corner, where out of reach of the right fielder but does not touch the ground yet. A fan leans over and catches the ball in fair territory. Had the ball not been caught, it would have bounced off the wall.

What is the final score of the game and why? Is Batter A awarded a single, a double, a triple, or a HR?

What do you think the anwser is and why?

Answer 1

Batter A is awarded a single because once he touches first the game would be over because the run scored. Therefore that batter couldn't advance past first

Answer 2

Score is 6-4 and the batter is given a double.

Answer 3

"A home run has to be hit "on the fly" - if the ball bounces out of the park then it's known as a "ground rule double" and the runner is automatically awarded second base (a similar applies if a fan reaches over the fence and grabs a ball, preventing a fielder from playing it - the umpires will award a number of bases according to what they think would have happened without the "fan interference")."

Based on this, I would imagine the umpire would award a double. Rarely, if ever, can they assume a Triple (much like you cannot assume a double play). It was not deep enough for a homerun, and in most cases, a ball to the wall is a double not a single. For runs scored, since it would be an automatic double, everyone in front of the batter that could be forced in, would be forced in, leading to two runs scored. The final score would be 6-4.

Answer 4

Depends on how many outs there were to answer this question -

3.16

When there is spectator interference with any thrown or batted ball, the ball shall be dead at the moment of interference and the umpire shall impose such penalties as in his opinion will nullify the act of interference.

APPROVED RULING: If spectator interference clearly prevents a fielder from catching a fly ball, the umpire shall declare the batter out.

Rule 3.16 Comment: There is a difference between a ball which has been thrown or batted into the stands, touching a spectator thereby being out of play even though it rebounds onto the field and a spectator going onto the field or reaching over, under or through a barrier and touching a ball in play or touching or otherwise interfering with a player. In the latter case it is clearly intentional and shall be dealt with as intentional interference as in Rule 3.15. Batter and runners shall be placed where in the umpire’s judgment they would have been had the interference not occurred.

No interference shall be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball. He does so at his own risk. However, should a spectator reach out on the playing field side of such fence, railing or rope, and plainly prevent the fielder from catching the ball, then the batsman should be called out for the spectator’s interference. Example: Runner on third base, one out and a batter hits a fly ball deep to the outfield (fair or foul). Spectator clearly interferes with the outfielder attempting to catch the fly ball. Umpire calls the batter out for spectator interference. Ball is dead at the time of the call. Umpire decides that because of the distance the ball was hit, the runner on third base would have scored after the catch if the fielder had caught the ball which was interfered with, therefore, the runner is permitted to score. This might not be the case if such fly ball was interfered with a short distance from home plate.

Depends on the umps ruling ... game may be a 5-4 final or you could be heading to the top of the 10th if there were two outs when this happened.

Answer 5

I think it would be a ground rule double. 5-4. Game over.

Answer 6

Batter A is credited with a single due to fan interference. Team A wins 5-4.

Answer 7

If it would have bounced off the wall, it couldn't be a homer.

Under baseball rules, it would be a single, as that's all that was needed to win the game.

Answer 8

Batter is credited a single on fan interference, home team wins 5-4.

Only an out-of-play home run can score more runs than necessary to win the game when in the bottom of the final inning. (And, had the ball not been touched, it still would have been only a single, as the runner scoring from third would have ended the game.)

(Unless the closest umpire is Richie Garcia, in which case he awards the grand slam.)

Answer 9

it would have been a ground rule double because a fan reachd over. so the final score would have been 5-4 because in a walkoff it all u need is  run

Answer 10

They would probably bring out the instant replay machine only to tell everyong that the hit was a walk off single. They would only give him a single because that is all that is needed to win the game he would not have to run to any other base.

Answer 11

It would be a single, and in this case, the game is won 5-4.

Answer 12

I'm not sure at all, but I think the final score would be 6-4. It would be ruled a ground rule double, or two bases for fan interference or something like that. All baserunners would be awarded two bases.

Similar to hitting a home run in that situation, I think all the runs that crossed the plate would be counted.

Edit: Uncle Unicorn, that ruling won't apply here, the question states the ball would have hit the wall, it would not have been caught.