What a mess...

[ElPanadero]

I'm sitting in the stands the other night for this one.

Home team is at bat and down by one run, bottom of the inning, time has expired. There are 2 outs and runner on 1st. B1 has 2 strikes on him. F1 pitches for 3rd strike, F2 drops the ball. Everyone thinks that because there is a runner on 1B, F2 doesn't have to throw to 1B (it's a Bronco game, Pony league). Game is over.

Not quite. Umpire signals 3rd strike but does not signal out. Half the defense is running off the field thinking the game is over. The 3rd base coach runs to the middle of the field and is screaming for B1 to run to 1st base. B1 finally wakes up and runs to 1B while R1 has moved over to 2B.

Visiting manager protests that catcher did eventually tag B1 after the dropped 3rd strike, loses that argument and then complains that the catcher never had to throw to 1B because it was occupied at the time. Obviously didn't know the rules.

My question is...could there have been a protest on the 3rd base coach running into the middle of the field (between the pitching mound and the plate)? What would have been the penalty?

The game did continue, the very next batter struck out.