High School Varsity Game. Same game for both cases. One for Home Team, one for Away Team.
1) Batter is walked. As she is heading to first base the catcher returns the ball to pitcher who is in the circle. The base runner touches first base, rounds the corner, sees pitcher has ball, stops and immediately returns to first base. There was no long pause off the base. She rounded, took a step, immediately stopped... changed direction and returned to first base. <she was ruled out due to lookback rule>
2) First and third are occupied with no outs. Base runner on 1st base steals 2nd base on the release of the pitch. While BR is running to 2nd base, catcher quickly returns ball to the pitcher who is in the circle. Just like play 1 above, the base runner "rounds" 2nd and takes a step off the bag towards 3rd (3rd was occupied at the time)... seeing the pitcher has the ball in the circle, she immediately returns to 2nd base. <she was ruled out due to lookback rule>
In neither case was there a significant pause in the base runner returning to the bag. That wasn't an issue with the umpire. He stated that the base runner in both cases cannot round the bag at all when the pitcher has the ball in the circle without immediately proceeding to the next base. The "stop once and immediately go back" piece was not applicable in either of these cases due to the walk and 3rd being occupied. My understanding (in both cases) is the base runner could round, stop and immediately return without penalty.
btw.. the pitcher did not make any play on either base runner so that was not an issue.
Any difference between the two cases? Walk vs Steal?
1) Batter is walked. As she is heading to first base the catcher returns the ball to pitcher who is in the circle. The base runner touches first base, rounds the corner, sees pitcher has ball, stops and immediately returns to first base. There was no long pause off the base. She rounded, took a step, immediately stopped... changed direction and returned to first base. <she was ruled out due to lookback rule>
2) First and third are occupied with no outs. Base runner on 1st base steals 2nd base on the release of the pitch. While BR is running to 2nd base, catcher quickly returns ball to the pitcher who is in the circle. Just like play 1 above, the base runner "rounds" 2nd and takes a step off the bag towards 3rd (3rd was occupied at the time)... seeing the pitcher has the ball in the circle, she immediately returns to 2nd base. <she was ruled out due to lookback rule>
In neither case was there a significant pause in the base runner returning to the bag. That wasn't an issue with the umpire. He stated that the base runner in both cases cannot round the bag at all when the pitcher has the ball in the circle without immediately proceeding to the next base. The "stop once and immediately go back" piece was not applicable in either of these cases due to the walk and 3rd being occupied. My understanding (in both cases) is the base runner could round, stop and immediately return without penalty.
btw.. the pitcher did not make any play on either base runner so that was not an issue.
Any difference between the two cases? Walk vs Steal?