Dropped ball in windup

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by Go Box

Our pitcher dropped the ball while in her windup. There was a runner on 1st base. The ump didn't call dead ball. The runner on 1st went to 2nd and we got her out. The ump said it was a ball and sent her back to 1st. She should have been out, right?

More information required to give a completely accurate answer. This depends completely on the definition of when a pitch begins.

1) What set of rules?

NFHS (high school) says the pitch starts with any motion associated with a pitch, so it is a pitch, ball on the batter, live ball, play on. The runner's attempt to advance is at her own risk.

USA/ASA would ask if the "windup" you reference was before or after the mandatory "touch" of the hands; if before, it is a live ball, and nothing else. If after, it is a pitch, it is a ball on the batter, and a live ball.

No rules set that I know of would put the runner back on first.