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16 & Under, A, State Tournament. Winners Bracket. Saturday night. Runner on Third. Nobody out. Right Handed Batter. 2 & 2 Count to the batter. High Outside pitch. Batter Checks swing. Drops bat and jogs to first. Catcher does not handle the pitch and has to pick up the ball off the ground. Batter has not sprinted to first and the ball has not gotten that far from the catcher to give the runner at third any chance to even think about coming home. I check my clicker and see that I now have only a full count. While I had just indicated verbally the count was 2 & 2 ( I try to always give the count whenever the next pitch can create a play situation like a strike out or walk) I believe the runner thought she had just received ball 4. I call time and motion for the runner to come back to the plate and that she only has a full count. The batter grins and says sorry blue had to try. As the batter gets reset the pitcher asks for me to appeal to my partner about the checked swing. Now I normally if not always allow this as getting the coaches in a tizzy about not appealing isn't normally worth it. And besides my partner is behind the third baseperson and has absolutly no angle on this call. SOoooooo, I step out and ask. DAMN. He rings up the batter for the third strike. After picking up my jaw from around in front of the plate and quickly deciding that to hurt my partner in front of 3 dozen fans would not be a good idea I start towards the third base coaches box to meet the coach. I have pulled the batter-runner OFF of first on what has now amounted to a drop third strike and declared her out on an appeal. Hind sight has taught me now to be more selective in my willingness to go for an appeal to the backside of the batters. Luckly for me this coach is a decent guy and I have a good history with him during HS ball. So when he asked me for the explination I simply said that I had a dead ball appeal and the batter would remain out. He didn't like it but he was also winning and didn't jump and scream to loud. My long winded question...did I do right or should I have put the runner back on first as to having put her in jeopardy and for have given the defense a unfair advantage ??? Would LOVE to have rule references if possible please.
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