Drop Dead question

[CatchersPaPa]

USA Softball. Game is tied 7-7, no outs, runner on third, batter at plate. Ump announces last batter, drop dead, batter finishes at bat. The defense walks the batter. The offensive plan was to full run the walked batter past first base, rounding to second. Third base runner has a large lead hoping that the pitcher is focused on or throwing to second, so she can steal home to win the game. After the fourth ball the ump says game and stops all play. When is the last at bat finished? Fourth ball or when the play is over?

 

[CoachCeetar]

wouldn't the play be just to hit the batter? dead ball, game over?


either way:

"The time at bat is the period beginning when a batter first enters the batter's box
and continues until put out or the batter becomes a batter-runner." so ump is correct.

 

[The Man In Blue]

It is whatever your tournament director says it is since that is a tournament-specific rule.

Your tournament director DID specify that in his rules, right?

<poke><poke>

 

[CatchersPaPa]

It is whatever your tournament director says it is since that is a tournament-specific rule.

Your tournament director DID specify that in his rules, right?

<poke><poke>

The tournament director did not. It was stated drop dead, batter finishes at bat. That is what is throwing me, If a walked batter turns into a runner by advancing past 1st base, when is the play over? This created some lively discussion.

 

[CatchersPaPa]

wouldn't the play be just to hit the batter? dead ball, game over?


either way:

"The time at bat is the period beginning when a batter first enters the batter's box
and continues until put out or the batter becomes a batter-runner." so ump is correct.

Wow, I would hope intentionally hitting the batter would not be the pitch call. I'm not sure you are understanding my question. Is the "at bat" over on a walk at the time of the fourth ball or when the the walked batter stops running?

 

[CoachCeetar]

Wow, I would hope intentionally hitting the batter would not be the pitch call. I'm not sure you are understanding my question. Is the "at bat" over on a walk at the time of the fourth ball or when the the walked batter stops running?

the at bat ends the instant the batter becomes a batter-runner unless otherwise stated by the tournament rules.

Seems like the batter already failed by walking. Should've been making any attempt to flick the ball fair and create a live ball, and maybe deking the pitcher into throwing a game-losing wild pitch? Or the runner should've simply made a dash for it on ball 3 back to the pitcher? Nothing to lose really.

This drop dead stuff really seems to create some crazy non-standard situations.

 

[Fluid Fastpitch]

Seems like the batter already failed by walking. Should've been making any attempt to flick the ball fair and create a live ball, and maybe deking the pitcher into throwing a game-losing wild pitch? Or the runner should've simply made a dash for it on ball 3 back to the pitcher? Nothing to lose really.

This drop dead stuff really seems to create some crazy non-standard situations.

Unless they did a good enough job with the ball placement and the only way to hit it would be to leave the batter's box, which would make you out.

And yeah, drop dead isn't how the game was meant to be played. At least finish the inning.

 

[CatchersPaPa]

Unless they did a good enough job with the ball placement and the only way to hit it would be to leave the batter's box, which would make you out.

And yeah, drop dead isn't how the game was meant to be played. At least finish the inning.

Most of the games are finish the inning or revert to the last inning score. This was a little different.

 

[Strike2]

wouldn't the play be just to hit the batter? dead ball, game over?


either way:

"The time at bat is the period beginning when a batter first enters the batter's box
and continues until put out or the batter becomes a batter-runner." so ump is correct.

Hmm...Would the ump be correct to declare the game over the instant the batter hit a ball into fair territory?

They've become a "batter-runner" in that scenario as well.

Whether it's a base hit, a hit ball converted to an out (< 2 outs), or a walk...it's ALL still a live ball.

Any runners on base should still have the opportunity to advance...and even score.

 

[CatchersPaPa]

Hmm...Would the ump be correct to declare the game over the instant the batter hit a ball into fair territory?

They've become a "batter-runner" in that scenario as well.

Whether it's a base hit, a hit ball converted to an out (< 2 outs), or a walk...it's ALL still a live ball.

Any runners on base should still have the opportunity to advance...and even score.

That is how I thought it should have been called. This was a round-robin tournament so the tie didn't matter.