Batted ball hits runner....or maybe not!

[Linknblue]

ASA...
Runner on 2nd, no outs. Fields in very bad shape (like a beach volley ball court, 3 inches deep) between bases.

Batter hits ball sharply between short and 2nd base with runner moving toward 3rd. I'm PU and see ball and runners foot very close and ball takes at least a 30 degree movement to the right of the original path of ball right at where ball, ground and runners heel seem to all come together. I call dead ball, runners out, ball hit runner. I'm as right as I think I can be.

Dust settles, literally, and after a bit of confusion, my partner and I confer. She tells me that it didn't hit her, was about half foot away and ball must have hit one of the many dust/dirt mounds in the base path to make it's change of angle. She's 100 percent positive ball didn't hit runner.

Ok. so now we have to make it right as best we can and put runners on 1st and 3rd. Coaches don't argue so we're good.

My partner, veteran of many years, tells me that I should not have called dead ball. I should wait until play is done then rule. Her logic being that if SS still had a chance to field the ball and ball didn't pass an infielder capable of making the play we don't have anything on ball hitting runner.

I was always taught to rule when ball hits runner immediately....but now I'm rethinking.

When should this be called? Immediately or after play stops? Or something different?

By the way, SS wasn't near enough to make a play on the ball.

John