Hole in outfield fence at the base of the fence.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Boys' H.S. varsity, NFHS Rules; I am the BU.


Top of fifth inning, Home-4, Visitor-0. Lead off batter hits a line shot into the left-center gap that goes all the way to the outfield fence. I have the B/R all of the way. Just as B/R rounds second and starts toward third, F8 raises his hands and the PU calls (loud enough for the players near home plate could hear) out "TIME" (I did not hear the PU nor did I see F8 raise his hands because I was concentrating on the B/R); THEN F8 picks up the ball and the fun begins. V's HC (was coaching from the third base coaching box) yells to his B/R to keep running, which he does all the way around third base(yes, he did touch third base) and onto home plate, and then into the dugout.

We ruled that the instant the PU called "time" everything stops. We put the B/R on second base and resumed play with the next batter up to bat.

To be honest, I cannot remember the last time I had a ball get stuck under an outfield fence, in fact, I do not think I have ever had it happen to me. It is my thinking that F8's raising his hand does not stop play and that we should have let B/R complete his running (touching third and home plate), and then "time" should have been called and BU go out to the fence and make a ruling. If the ball is truely out of play then the B/R can be put back on second base, and if the ball is not out of play then the defensive team is out of luck. If we didn't allow the play to continue, the defense would raise their hands to force the umpires to call time and then beforced to award only two bases from the TOP.

MTD, Sr.