Ruling question.....

[casedawg51]

Happened in the State Tournament yesterday.

Nobody on, 1 out. Batter swings thru strike 3 but the catcher doesn't field it cleanly. Hitter starts walking back to the dugout. She walks about 5 feet outside the basepath and her coaches tell her to go touch first. She does, carrying the bat all the way with her. She then proceeds to go in the dugout and sit down.

Her coach then goes to the head Ump and says she wasn't tagged or thrown out. Ump tells her to go get back on first base and she is safe.

What say you?

 

[starsnuffer]

At what point did she go into the dugout to sit down? This is important. She is safe until this point, but if she left first to go into the dugout after the play was over (perhaps an umpire called her out?) then she's ok to re-enter the field after the play was appealed.

-W

 

[casedawg51]

At what point did she go into the dugout to sit down? This is important. She is safe until this point, but if she left first to go into the dugout after the play was over (perhaps an umpire called her out?) then she's ok to re-enter the field after the play was appealed.

-W

She went and touched first then went and sat down. No call had been made. When her being eventually called safe was questioned by the defensive team, the Blue said he never called her out. I say that since she wasn't called out, her leaving the base for the dugout did THEN make her out. Blue disagreed.

 

[Comp]

She was perfectly fine up to the point of leaving the field of play and stepping in the dugout. Now she is out.

 

[n10sivern]

as already stated, i think she would be out once she left the field of play

 

[JAD]

This is something every coach needs to address with their catchers. If it is a dropped 3rd strike, they need to tag the batter or make the throw down to 1st if 1B is not occupied or if there are 2 outs.

 

[David Carter]

This is pretty straight forward if the runner leaves the field of play or enter the team area you are OUT. rule 8.7.U. if you are using ASA rules but they all read pretty much the same

 

[CPEM]

Agree with the above, she is out when she left the field of play.

Let me throw a wrinkle into this and present a scenario I encountered: There is a runner on 2nd (R1) when the batter (B1) hits a single to right field. The 3rd baseman (F1) obstructs R1 in the act of rounding 3rd. The umpire signals the delayed obstruction call and allows the play to continue. Even with the obstruction, R1 reaches home well before the ball, and B1 takes 2nd on the throw. However, R1 failed to touch home plate and has commenced walking towards the visitors' dugout. Since a tag was never applied, the umpire has not indicated safe nor out. The catcher (F2) realizing this, chases after R1 to apply a tag. R1 then runs into the dugout, takes off her helmet and sits down. A tag was never applied. The defensive team appeals the play prior to the next pitch. What's the call?

Alternatively, what's the call if F2 manages to apply a tag prior to R1 entering the dugout?

 

[David Carter]

Agree with the above, she is out when she left the field of play.

Let me throw a wrinkle into this and present a scenario I encountered: There is a runner on 2nd (R1) when the batter (B1) hits a single to right field. The 3rd baseman (F1) obstructs R1 in the act of rounding 3rd. The umpire signals the delayed obstruction call and allows the play to continue. Even with the obstruction, R1 reaches home well before the ball, and B1 takes 2nd on the throw. However, R1 failed to touch home plate and has commenced walking towards the visitors' dugout. Since a tag was never applied, the umpire has not indicated safe nor out. The catcher (F2) realizing this, chases after R1 to apply a tag. R1 then runs into the dugout, takes off her helmet and sits down. A tag was never applied. The defensive team appeals the play prior to the next pitch. What's the call?

Alternatively, what's the call if F2 manages to apply a tag prior to R1 entering the dugout?

and the answer is...obstructed runners must touch all the bases in proper order or they can be called out on an appeal.

 

[Comp]

and the answer is...obstructed runners must touch all the bases in proper order or they can be called out on an appeal.

And, once the player stepped into the dugout, they may not return to touch home plate