Ignominious play for 2 top 16U teams

[Dakota]

Last night, game between two of the better 16U teams in the south metro.

No runners on. No outs. Batter hits a towering pop up over 1st base foul territory.

Batter assumes she's dead, but trots slowly toward 1st anyway.

Three fielders converge on the ball (F1, F2, and F3). None call it. The ball drops untouched among them and spins back into fair territory. F1 casually picks up the ball and heads toward the circle.

BR has crossed 1st while this is going on, and seeing she is not out with the catch, circles around, and starts trotting back toward home to resume her at-bat. Obviously, everyone is assuming foul.

Meanwhile, I'm standing a few feet up the line toward 1st with my arm pumping "FAIR." Nobody seems to notice.

Finally, both coaches shout "FAIR BALL...FAIR BALL..."

Runner reverses and dashes back toward first (she's made it to about the beginning of the running lane). F1 throws to F4 who has run to cover first. Ball beats runner to the bag. No tag is made.

Call?

[Edited by Dakota on Jun 25th, 2004 at 02:47 PM]