If F6 drops the pop fly after contact with R2, what is the ruling?

In this scenario, when a fielder (F6) drops a pop fly after making contact with a base runner (R2), the focus is on the interaction between the player and the ball in play. The essence of the ruling stems from the concept of interference by the base runner.

When R2 makes contact with F6, who is in the process of making a play on the popped-up ball, the actions of R2 can be classified as interfering with F6's opportunity to catch the ball. This is deemed interference because the base runner has a responsibility to avoid hindering the defensive player while they are fielding a ball. Consequently, the proper ruling is to call R2 for interference, which effectively halts the play and generally results in R2 being declared out.

In this case, R2's actions directly impacted F6's ability to make a play, leading to the interference ruling, which is crucial to maintaining fairness and order in the game. This ruling protects the defensive team’s right to make legal plays on balls in play.