- Apr 27, 2021
- 3
- 1
I watched a different situation play out and I wanted to get other peoples take on it. We had a runner on third. Our batter hits a ball to the opposing 3rd baseman that bobbles it and doesn't attempt a throw. Our runner rounds first, several feet off the bag, and is looking back to see where the ball is. The third baseman throws it to the pitcher, who is in the circle. Our runner, still with her eye on the pitcher, starts to sidestep her way back towards first base. The pitcher rotates quickly towards first base and jerks her arm up in a motion as if to throw it to first. Our runner, thinking she is getting picked off, immediately takes off for second base, since she took her motion as a continuation of a live ball play. The pitcher threw the ball to second and had our runner in a pickle. She retreated towards first and the second baseman made an errant throw over the first baseman's head. This allowed the runner to advance to second and our runner on third to score. No call was made during all this action. Then after the runner was safe on second base and home, the home plate umpire calls the runner out on the look back rule at second and sent the runner back to third. Is this right? Our runner wasn't just standing there baiting a throw. She was actively going back to first base when the pitcher, who couldn't even see where she was because her back was to her, spun and pulled her arm up to throw to first. If she had, she would have definitely picked off our runner and she had no choice but to take off for second, so she was out either way if this ruling is correct.