1:25 finish the batter

[jmkupka]

I stopped announcing "last batter" 2 years ago when a pitcher, who was hitting her spots all day, plugged the batter in the shoulder on the next pitch.

One time recently, we announced "that's game ladies, line em up", without announcing last batter, and the offense went berzerk, saying they'd have handled the running situation differently had they known.

This weekend, my base partner took it upon himself to announce "last batter", and BAM! next pitch right in the batter's hip. SONOFA...

Anyway, got me thinking, shouldn't be a problem notifying the Offense only. If they want to have their runners just keep going til they get put out, fine.

Question: Regarding the LBR, runner is allowed 1 stop after which they must return nonstop or advance nonstop. May they continue nonstop beyond that base onto the next, and next, and next (obviously they don't get another stop after each base)?

[youngump]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

I stopped announcing "last batter" 2 years ago when a pitcher, who was hitting her spots all day, plugged the batter in the shoulder on the next pitch.

One time recently, we announced "that's game ladies, line em up", without announcing last batter, and the offense went berzerk, saying they'd have handled the running situation differently had they known.

This weekend, my base partner took it upon himself to announce "last batter", and BAM! next pitch right in the batter's hip. SONOFA...

Anyway, got me thinking, shouldn't be a problem notifying the Offense only. If they want to have their runners just keep going til they get put out, fine.

Question: Regarding the LBR, runner is allowed 1 stop after which they must return nonstop or advance nonstop. May they continue nonstop beyond that base onto the next, and next, and next (obviously they don't get another stop after each base)?

LBR: Yes, one stop allowed, not on a base. Passing a base doesn't reset anything.
As to announcing, this seems like a local color question. If the home team is ahead, I'll let coaches know when we're close to time at the beginning of the bottom half of the inning and then I check after each batter or long delay during a batter. If your rule says to finish the batter that you've started, I'd suggest that you shouldn't announce last batter until the time has expired (then it truly is the last batter.) And if your concern is that they'll throw at the last batter, I'm skeptical that this will be a big concern, after all they can just intentionally walk her and achieve the same thing.

[jmkupka]

So, ball in circle, B/R rounds 1B, halfway to 2B takes her one allotted stop, advances non-stop to 2B, rounds it and stops, she is immediately out, correct?

[youngump]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

So, ball in circle, B/R rounds 1B, halfway to 2B takes her one allotted stop, advances non-stop to 2B, rounds it and stops, she is immediately out, correct?

Correct, as long as the pitcher hasn't made a play on anyone or left the circle in the meantime.

[CecilOne]

"Time limit" or Time has expired", "no new batter".
That is all we should do.

[Manny A]

Honestly, why as umpires should we care that the defense plunks the announced last batter? It's the nature of the beast when you use a time limit of "X:XX, finish the batter".

Really no different than when rec ball uses a "once around the order" limit so that nobody bats a second time in the inning; if the pitcher plunks the batter, what is it to us other than, maybe, us ruling unsporting conduct? I'm not going to let that prevent me from letting everyone know that the time limit has been reached and the current batter up to bat is the last batter of the game.