Ball Four?

[Shmuelg]

Here's the sitch:

Count is 3 and 1.
No outs.
No one on base.

Pitcher pitches, and the ball is right in there, "steeerike" sez the blue.

Catcher, thinking it's the third strike, throws the ball to F5. F5 tosses it back to the pitcher. Oh. That's only TWO strikes. All right.

But now, before the next pitch, offsensive coach says to blue "that's ball four". Why?

Look at this (ISF rules):
"Rule 6, Sec. 7. THE CATCHER.
. . .
b. Shall return the ball directly to the pitcher after each pitch, including after a foul ball.

NOTE: An additional ball shall be awarded to the batter.

EXCEPTION: This does not apply
1. After a strikeout, or
2. When the batter becomes a batter-runner, or
3. When there are runners on base, or
4. When a foul ball is fielded close to the foul line and the catcher throws to any base for a possible out, or
5. When, on a checked swing on a dropped third strike situation, the catcher throws to first base to retire the batter-runner. "

And the exception cases did not apply.

The blue did NOT want to call it ball four. His reasoning was simple logic: The pitch was a good pitch, the defense did not get any advantage by throwing the ball to F5, and so why should there be ball 4?

The offense lost the game by one run, and the game was protested.

What do y'all think?


Shmuel