Strange occurance and the call.....whats right?

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Ok....just when I thought Ive seen it all.....this happened in our HS game tonite. You make the call...then I'll tell you what ump ruled.

runners on first and third.....one out.

Pitcher delivers ball to batter.....batter swings and misses.

Just as the catcher releases ball to return to pitcher baserunner on one makes a delay steal of 2nd, reaches second safely and stands on bag with no attempt made by pitcher to get an out. Thinking baserunner was safe and as she is standing in the circle, with ball in her control, pitcher then turns her attention to preparing to pitch. Runner on two now sprints BACK to first and exclaims "wasnt that a foul ball?". Our team protests and says its a clear violation of look back rule or a case of the baserunner leaving the bag early (just the wrong way of course!!). Runner on third holds the bag during this.

What is the correct call?

 

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Re: Strange occurance and the call.....whats right

Bad move by the runner on second. Never assume the ball was foul or that it has become dead. Wait until you see and hear the umpire call it foul, or wait until your base coach tells you it was.

The only possible correct call here is: dead ball, runner out. If the pitcher was merely in the circle and not yet on the pitcher's plate and preparing to pitch, this is a Look Back violation. If the pitcher was on the plate, preparing to pitch, the runner has left the base before the pitch was released. Take your pick- the penalty and result are the same.

(Somehow, I get the feeling that's not what the umpire called...)

If the runner thought the pitch was fouled, I wonder why she did the delayed steal in the first place? Sounds like maybe she was trying to draw a throw to get the run in from third, it backfired, and she wanted to go back to first and try again. Whatever her reason, she has violated a rule and should be called out.

 

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Re: Strange occurance and the call.....whats right

You hit it right in my opinion Bretman....I felt it was obviously an attempt to score the runner from third via a pickle on the runner at 1. Anyhow....Home plate ump states " I honestly didnt see what happened..Im sorry". I could buy that as its the field umps responsibility here.

After a 3-4 minute consultation between plate and field ump, they approach our bench, Field ump says that runner reached second base safely but as she hadnt reversed course until she was on the bag it was ok to retreat back to one as long as she didnt head to 1 and then reverse back to 2.

Ruling- baserunner safe at first

Plate ump was obviously embarrased and apologetic at this turn of events.....field ump was very authoritative. He Definitely needed a better understanding of the look back rule. My guess is it was one of those things they'd never witnessed and probably spent some time doing some research after this!

Thanks!

 

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Re: Strange occurance and the call.....whats right

And I thought i'd heard them all! ;D