Catcher forgets number of outs
 

How would you rule on this hypothetical situation?

Runner at second base with one out. Batter hits a fly ball near home plate. The catcher makes the catch near her team's bench area for the second out of the inning. Mistakenly thinking it is the third out of the inning, she heads to the bench while carrying the ball. As soon as she enters the dugout with the ball, the umpires call time.

Would this be considered intentionally carrying a ball out of play, or would it be unintentional? This decision affects the the awarding of bases to the runner who was on second base, of course. (I believe the baseball rule book says that if a fielder loses track of the number of outs and carries or throws the ball out of play, it is still deemed to be unintentional. The softball rule book in Canada does not address this.)

Without researching this, I would rule this unintentional. The intent of the intentional ;) carry rule is to prevent the defense from stopping a runner's advance by carrying the ball out of play. Note that intentionally carrying the ball into the dugout to tag a runner is conisdered "unintentional" for ruling purposes.

One base, catch and carry. Not the two base award for intentionally carrying the ball out of play.

Long time reader, first time writer. I 've received a lot of great advice here as well as some chuckles. John, there's a case in the SCA casebook where the catcher follows a runner into his dugout to tag him for missing home plate. SCA rules it unintentionally carrying the ball into dead ball territory. Rule 8-#183 in the casebook. Once again the advice offered by other posters is sound.., I just thought you'd like to know that the casebook reference confirms that SCA agrees with the other rulesets on this one.

The intent of the additional base for an intentional carry is to prevent deception by the fielder to stop a runner's progress. But the usual application of unintentional is a carry resulting from momentum or the above tagging a runner who is in DBT.
I agree with the above "rulings" as long as you are comfortable with the fielder's intent or lack of it.

Personally, I would make the rule such that a intentional carry to stop a runner is a live ball, with the runner protected for at least two bases. :(

How can you have a live ball when it is in the possession of a player in DBT?

Of course we can't. Just commenting on having a stronger penalty for such an action.

Thanks for the input. That's what I would have ruled.