Foul Tip in Dirt

[nafxos]

Before I get to my question, I just want to say that I enjoy this forum immensely. I'm a relatively new umpire (certified last year), and this is my first season working HS-level games (sub-varsity only so far). I've learned a lot just browsing the various threads, and am trying to apply it wherever I can.

Anyway, I was working the bases last Friday and was in the B position with 2 outs in the bottom of the last inning. With 2 strikes the batter fouls one towards the dirt. F2 holds up his glove to show the PU that he caught it before it hit the ground, but there's no call either way. Instead he points to me to ask what I have.

At that point, I honestly don't know what I just saw. I didn't see the ball hit the ground. But I can't say with certainty that I saw F2 pick it cleanly either. All I know is I have to make a call. And I better make it emphatically. So I did. (Not telling yet which way I went.)

Is there a preferred "default" position on something like this? (if it was a checked swing appeal and I'm in B, I'm defaulting to "no swing" unless I'm absolutely certain the batter swung) Should I have erred on the side of the batter? Or the catcher? Or is it a case of "when in doubt, get an out"? And does it matter that in this case the out would have ended the game?