When a fielder stops the ball with a mask after it has crossed the plate and rolled away, what type of situation is this considered?

In this scenario, when a fielder stops a ball that has already crossed the plate and rolled away using their mask, it falls under a delayed dead-ball situation. This is because the ball is still considered live until the fielder deliberately interferes with it by using an item of equipment (the mask) that is not part of their defensive play.

A delayed dead-ball situation indicates that while the play continues, the act of stopping the ball in that manner is against the rules, which means once the play concludes, the ball will be ruled dead, and the appropriate penalties may be applied. This distinction is crucial because it allows for the continuation of play until the fielder's action necessitates a stoppage due to the equipment's interference.

In contrast, a live-ball situation would refer to circumstances where the play could continue without interruption. A dead-ball situation would apply if something had occurred that stopped play immediately, whereas an immediate dead-ball situation implies that upon the act, play is halted instantly, which does not apply in this case since the ball was in play before the mask interfered.