[Bandit]

Ok guys. PLease bear with me and the long explination. Need an answer here that I can print and take to an umpire working with me during the winter. Here was the situation: 12 & Under, FP, Nobody out, bases loaded. Batter takes a full swing and puts a flyball in the area between first, second, and the pitching circle. I call INFIELD FLY. The runners are off with the ball being hit. All three fielders stop thinking the other one will catch it. The ball hits the ground with terrible back spin and goes foul between home plate and first base. No fielder touches it. Two runs score and batter-runner ends up on second. I call time speak to my partner and say I never say anyone touch the ball and think it is simply a foul ball. Did he see anything differently. He says no. We put everyone back and start with the count showing one more strike. Both coaches are very content with this ruling. After the game my partner says it was a good thing that nothing came of the play because he had an appeal on any of the runners which had started the play on a base. I ask what kind of appeal. He says "leaving early". I ask him why and add that the ball was never caught and the runners were simply very lucky. He says no, according to the rule on Infield Fly and when it is declared. All runners must not leave the base until the ball has been touched by a fielder or has touched the ground. I found the office copy of the rule book and read him the Rule from the Rule 1 section and he believes I am missapplying the rule. How can I explain this.

[Edited by Bandit on Dec 3rd, 2003 at 11:01 PM]