NCAA 4-8 Nongame Personnel Interference
Nongame Personnel Interference
SECTION 8. If there is interference with a live batted or thrown ball by anyone other than players, coaches or umpires, the umpire shall rule as to its being intentional or unintentional.
a. If it is intentional, the ball shall be declared dead at the moment of the interference, and the umpire shall award the offended team appropriate compensation that, in his opinion, would have resulted had interference not taken place.
1) It is intentional interference if a coach, bat person, photographer or homefield attendant fields, kicks or pushes a ball, regardless of possible motives.
2) The umpire shall declare intentional interference and award just compensation, be it an out, extra bases, etc., if a spectator intentionally reaches out of the stands or goes out onto the playing field. The ball is dead immediately.
b. If it is unintentional interference, the ball is live and in play. It is unintentional interference if a base coach, bat person, photographer, etc., tries to evade the ball and it touches the individual or if it touches such person without the person being aware the ball was coming.
c. It is not interference if, as the player is going outside the playing field during a play, a spectator interferes with a possible catch in the stands or over a fence.
