Did the offense give up their at bat?
 

This was a weird one... no outs long inning, home team at bat bottom of 3rd, R1 on 2nd, R2 on 1st. B3 hits into a nice 6-4-3, now 2outs and R1 on 3rd. The defense having a sudden boost of emotion after that nice double play runs off the field. The base coaches turn and with them head off the field, R1 heads off the field. The home team now starts taking its position in the field and pitcher steps on the mound. All along no one from either team has said anything about there only being 2 outs. And oddly enough a crowd that seemed to chirp the entire game didn't say anything either. Then as the pitcher starts with a warmup throw, the catcher turns and says to the home team coach, hey i think that was only 2 outs, then the score keeper tells the home coach they only have 2 outs.

A lot of particular rule instances I think could be applied here, but would like to see what the opinions are......

You're the UIC, What's the call under NFHS rules?

tskill,

I would say that the 3rd out of the half inning occurred when the R1 (who was on 3B) abandoned his effort to run the bases. This is not an appeal play.

JM

Strangely enough I had this happen this week in a FED game. 2 outs and everyone runs off of the field. I had the dish (UIC) & my partner comes to me and quietly asks "Wasn't that only 2?" I told him that's what I had. He then asked "What are you going to do?" "Nothing" I said. "If the coaches and their scorekeepers can't keep track of whats going on far be it for me to to do thier job." I explained to him that when the offense abandoned their oppurtunity for that inning to bat I considered that part of the inning over.

From the BRD:

FED: A runner is out if, after touching first, he abandons his attempt to run the bases. The umpire must judge whether a runner "heading for the dugout or his defensive position" is abandoning his efforts to run the bases. No rule provides for non-removal of a force for that out. (8-4-2p)

As soon as R1 reached dead-ball territory after leaving 3B, Ive got my 3d out.

I should have added that it was 2 out with bases empty when defense ran off of field ans ODB retreated to the dugout. When ODB retreated to dugout and abandoned his oppurtunity to bat I had my third out.

ODB's can't abandon. What if he just went back because the coach wanted to insert a pinch hitter? Gonna call him out? I don't think so. You have no rule to support calling the ODB out.

BTW, OBR rules say:

<i>10.01 (b)(2) If the teams change sides before three men are put out, the scorer shall immediately inform the umpire of the mistake.</i>

Granted it doesn't say what to do then, but the implication is that the inning isn't really over and the situation needs to be corrected.

The scorer didn't say squat & at the FED level I'm not there to babysit. As soon as the first pitch was thrown I had my third out. End of story as far as I'm concerned.

The runner at 3B is out when he abandons. No pitch necessary. If runner on 3B does not leave the vicinity of 3B but everybody else begins to leave the field I will be telling everybody there are only 2 outs. It's not the scorer's job, it's mine.