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You can try to memorize every rule, but unless you have a photographic memory, you will forget rules again. Then at some point something will happen on the field that will etch the rule in your memory and you won't forget it after that.
I see the issue as perhaps inexperience for both you and partner. If your partner knew that this was a dead ball situatioin he should have killed the ball when he saw the bat strike the ball. PU will not always see the contact and BU should not hesitate at all to make the call. Same with foul off a batter's foot. An experienced BU kills the ball and doesn't let these situations devolve the way yours did.
I don't know if you have ever reversed your own ruling, but when you know you miscalled a play you have to come to terms with it and eat the humble pie on the spot. I'm not saying that you should have known then and there that you kicked it, but sometimes you know right away and have the choice to eat the pie and fix it or stand your (shaky) ground. What I'm saying is to do the former.
If you're just not sure what the rule is, I'd say stop the clock and get the UIC to help. As much as UIC's may not like this, I think that USSSA will like it less if they get a reputation for poor officiating and teams avoid their tournaments.
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