[MD Longhorn]

OK, this one has been posed to several of our most experienced umpires, and we're getting different answers from each... so for your opinions please:

8U ASA. The relevant rule for this area says, "Play stops when the pitcher obtains control of the ball within the circle and holds it up." The umpire is then to "direct runners forward if they are ahead of the halfway point, and send them back if they are not."

None out, R1 on third. VERY high pop up. R1 crosses the plate. F6 then catches the ball(!!!!!). F6 throws to pitcher, who misses the ball. F3 retrieves the ball and throws to F1, who catches the ball in the circle and holds it up. PU immediately calls time.

During this time, coaches are yelling for R1 to return, but she does not hear anyone until JUST a bit after PU calls time, at which she begins returning to third (skipping home, but that never comes up). Everyone's yelling at this point, PU holding his hands up, calling time progressively louder. Runner makes it back to third right as it dies down.

PU directs batter home, and she runs home (touching it again).

NO ONE appealed or even questioned what was happening, although there were a lot of confused faces. We won't go into the cluster that occurred 2 batters later when they got the 2nd out that everyone thought was the third out.