Can you abandon your at bat?
Had a weird one at the 14U ASA National in Moline, IL last week. 1-1 count, R1 @ 2B. B2 bunts down the 3B line and it trickles foul. We reset with a 1-2 count. Eventually on a 3-2, B2 grounds out. R1 keeps rounding 3B and starts jogging toward her dugout (on the 1B line) obviously thinking the inning is over. She barely gets back safely. The inning ends when the next batter makes an out.
In getting together with my U1, he tells me we allowed 4 outs that inning. During the discussion, we figure out that B2 mistakenly thought she bunted foul with 2 strikes and went to the dugout believing she was the 2nd out. I never saw her go to the dugout because I had just followed a ball down toward the 3B bag.
Defensive team never says a word. However, the next inning while heading to the coach's box, the offensive coach asks what would have happened if he brought it to our attention that B3 replaced B2 in the batter's box prior to B2 completing her turn at bat. He was aware it was going on at the time but was fearful the ruling would be abandonment.
So ... what say you all? What would be the proper ruling if:
a) the OC appeals while B3 is at bat
b) the DC appeals while B3 is at bat
c) the DC appeals after B3 bats but before a pitch is thrown to B4
Can you get an out for abandonment on a batter, or only a runner and/or batter-runner? Is this merely a BOO?
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