Batter Returns To Plate After Hitting Fair Ball

[Blue37]

Originally Posted by UmpJM (nee CoachJM)

UmpTT & jwwashurn,

I will just keep pointing the ball fair until SOMEBODY gets the message. If necessary, I will move up the 1B line and block the batter's return to HP.

Everybody can't be THAT stupid. And this is 18U? Sheesh!

JM

JM,

I was the PU and had come out pretty hard toward third to rule on the fair/foul. Foul territory slopes down to the corner of the fence, so I had gone even further after the ball hit to watch for problems, so I was right at third when the ball came back in. The defense did not react to grandpa's shout. The batter was already at the plate area when I first noticed it was him rather than the next batter. Time had not been called, so I just assumed my position, then called time when he took his position. I went to my partner to see if he had sent him back, and he said he had not. I asked if he had touched first and he had, so we called him out for abandonment and scored the run.

Had this occurred down the right field line, an additional point or two might have solved the problem, but that was not possible with the ball down the left field line.