[nickdangerME]

In my first season doing Fed softball, I've been assigned mostly JV/Frosh or even Middle School games. Typically I'm on the bases with an older hand on the plate. I've yet to boot anything badly, but had a situation yesterday with very green JV kids/coaches that leads me to ask a question about how others would have handled a screw-up.

Fifth inning lasted forever, with a least a couple batters reaching on dropped third strikes and batting order confusion by the offensive coaches. Offensive coach was telling runners, "Two outs, run on anything!" and defensive players were telling each other, "Two outs, take the nearest force." I remembered one out I had called at first, but frankly could not remember the second out. Batter strikes out and teams switch. When conferring with plate about the score, coaches were confused whether there really had been three outs. Offensive coach was not upset (his team was getting creamed and ultimately lost big). He had thought that there was another out for BOO. Defensive coach had mismarked her scorebook on one of the strike-outs/dropped third stike and was lost from that point on.

I joined the conference, as both coaches were scratching their heads and plate was not being particularly forceful about sorting it out. Given the apparent desire of the coaches not to switch back, I cut to the chase by asking if both coaches were agreed on the score (which they promptly sorted out based on the defensive coache's book), the inning and the next batter, and we moved on.

My question. How would you have handled it differently? (I know, I should have called time and conferred with my partner when I first realized I couldn't remember the other out - next time I'll not be so shy.)

Nick