[tibear]

Situation: R3, 1 Out. Left handed batter swings and misses third strike, catcher misses the ball and the ball go to the backstop. I make the call, "Strike Three, no catch".

R3 is stealing home on the play, the batter, rather then running for first takes about 5 or 6 steps backwards towards the dugout and watches the play at the plate. After a second or two he finally realizes he is able to steal first and then runs safely to first. There is no "home plate circle".

Once the play ends the defensive manager questions why the batter wasn't automatically out because he had no intention of running to first immediately after the thrid strike and in fact had backed towards his dugout so this should be interpreted as abandonement.

I said that I didn't see the batter as abandoning the stealing apportunity but rather was vacating home plate area and then realized he was entitled to steal first.

With no home plate circle, did I make the right call or should the batter have been out.