As the second baseman settles to catch a high pop fly, the runner from first base makes contact with him. What is the ruling?

• A. The ball is immediately dead.
• B. If the second baseman catches the pop fly, the ball stays live and in play.
• C. It is a delayed dead ball.
• D. The ball is a live ball.

Answer: (A)

When a baserunner interferes with a fielder who is attempting to field a fly ball, the play ends immediately. The ball is dead at the moment of the contact to prevent any further attempts to make a play on the catch. In this situation, the runner from first base makes contact with the second baseman as he’s settling to catch a high pop fly, so interference occurs and the ball is ruled dead right away. The runner who interfered is out, and no live-ball play can continue.

The other scenarios don’t fit because a live ball can’t remain in play after direct interference, and a delayed dead-ball call isn’t appropriate when the interference happens during the fielder’s attempt to catch.