Dropped 2nd strike
 

Yeah I know, WTH?, but I didn't know what else to title this.

Was calling a girls fastpitch 13-18 tournament today, had a situation come up. Could just as easily been baseball and maybe even HS ball and had it happen, thus I'm asking it here.

R3, 0 out, no one on first, 2-1 count on the batter. Ball comes in, batter swings, high inside pitch, she misses, catcher misses, and it's a pass ball. I step back to the right to let the catcher clear back and then notice the batter take off for first. I start to yell time and then see R3 is almost on top of me, stealing home. R3 slides in, would be safe, beat the catcher big time. I yell time announce that the count was 2-1, strike was second strike, batter back in the box, AND R3 back to third.

After the inning my partner asks if I think it would have been legal to allow R3 run to score, not put her back on third, since she came home on the passed ball. I thought about it and said yes, I could have if I had judged that her coming home had nothing to do with the batter taking off, was stealing because of the passed ball, and it was before I yelled time or dead ball.

So, #1, was there any violation by the batter that I missed. As I said, I could see this happening in baseball when a players mind wandered.

#2 Could I have allowed the run to score or not? again also considering baseball also.

I'll also plead mental instability on the call, was the third game behind the plate out of five I had to call. Called four in a row behind the plate, 95 degrees today, sunny and clear.

Do you plead mental instability on calling "Time"? Is that the part you are pleading on?

Just checking...

I don't know anything about softball, but if this was baseball I would say you had a brain fart. Runner scores. Batter comes back to bat.

Fastpitch or baseball it doesn't matter...you kicked it.

But knowing that will only make you a better umpire...if you don't do it again :)

You guys all agree he kicked it as well as myself but what would you do with the batter runner in this case? Would you just let her run down to first and wait for the smoke to clear? Is there any penalty for her to do this? What if there had been R1 and R1 was thrown out thinking she had to run with only two strikes? (When I read my last question, it comes to me that R1 being thrown out is the penalty but I'll throw the question out there anyway)

There is no penalty for this. Bring the batter back and when the defense complains, tell the coach it's their responsibility to know the situation.

Thanks for all the replies. Yes, I agree, I blew that one. Should have let the run count, put that batter back in.

no. time was called. R3 goes back to third. prepare for ejection...

In the situation described without calling "Time": Score run and bring batter back from 1st to complete her time at bat.
Although you called "Time" which would stop live ball. IMO: Send runner back to 3rd and batter returns to batter box.
Sam

He said "I start to yell time and then see R3...". He did not say he had called time, and I took his comment to mean he did not.

[QUOTE=danreeves1973] I start to yell time and then see R3 is almost on top of me, stealing home. R3 slides in, would be safe, beat the catcher big time. I yell time announce that the count was 2-1, strike was second strike, batter back in the box, AND R3 back to third.

As I re-read OP - with info described regarding calling "Time" after R3 scores / I say run scores bring back batter from 1st base / Play ball
Sam

Had I called time, dead ball, stop damn't, whatever, before the runner made it home, then yes I would agree my decision yesterday would have been correct.

I called time AFTER R3 had made it home safe. The whole situation threw me for a second, (again, four games in a row behind the plate and this morning my knees hate me.) and I lost focus on the play.

Again, my main point of the question was is is there any sort of penalty that could have come down against the batter for taking off like that? Any scenario where a batter leaving in error could be construed as interference.

I disagree. Why would you call "time" in the first place? You have a LIVE passed ball, with continuous action (F2 getting ball, R3 coming home on a steal). You have no business calling time because some idiot batter takes a tour of the infield.....ignore her (unless she interferes with the play or goes into DBT). Your attention should be at the plate.

Penalize batter for interference IF she does interfere (in your case it reads like she did not), otherwise let continuous action finish (rule on play at the plate) and then call "time", put batter back in box with previous count.