[officialtony]

HS JV Game. 5th inning, batter lays down a bunt in front of Home Plate. Catcher comes up following batter out of the box. PU follows catcher out of the box and throws up his hands in what appears to be a " Foul " signal. In the mean time the catcher stops. He cannot see the PU and I cannot hear the PU. I am GUESSING that the catcher heard the PU say " Foul ". I do not know that for certain. In the mean time the batter runner is already standing on 1st and the BU is signaling nothing when the PU continues to walk out to the BU asking him if the ball hit the batter in the box. BU clearly indicates he doesn't know but doesn't think so. PU signals batter is now safe on 1st and instructs Caoch to bring up the next batter. Coach of defense is now asking the PU about the foul signal and his catcher stopping because he apparently " heard " the PU call foul. I don't kow what transpired in the continuing conversation but the PU left the runner on 1st and continued on.
My question - once he signaled " Foul " either verbally or with his hand signal, isn't the ball dead and shouldn't the batter come back to the plate with a strike added to count? The PU made the call and I am thinking he should have had to stick with it - right or wrong. I think this is one he booted and was afraid to admit it. But I also believe it could be corrected by putting the batter back in the box. ( I made reference to the 5th inning because I had seen the PU signal foul enough times to feel the signal he gave at the time of the bunt WAS his foul signal. )
Please advise your thinking.