Can someone explain to me why the rulebook states that the batter runner is not out on a dropped third strike until they "enter the team area." Rule 8 Secton 2, D. In a league game, we had an opposing player swing at the third strike, pitched ball was low, bounced into catchers glove. Batter starts walking to the dugout, gets about 5 feet from dugout and takes off towards first. Pitcher now has the ball and throws to first while runner on third takes off to home. Close play at home and runner is safe. I asked the umpire why she could run towards the dugout and then take off and he quoted the above rule. I asked about running out of the base path and he shrugged it off. Didn't affect the outcome of the game, but seemed kind of strange to me. Am I missing something?
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