College Protest

[jont]

You are correct that this would be a timing play. If the runner from third scored before the abandonment of R2, then the run would count, absent an appeal from the defense. However, even if R3 scored before R2 abandoned, the defense would still have the opportunity to appeal that R2 did not touch third. And if they did, the run would not score because the appeal against R2 at third base would be a force out and no runs can score when the third out is a force play. However, I would not consider R2 to have abandoned until he had reached the dugout. In addition, without knowing the specifics of this situation, I think that in general by calling R2 out in this situation you are really taking the short end of the stick as an umpire. R2 is an idiot, but the team scored the winning run and absent a clear case of abandonment, I would let the run score and go home.