Actions after IP
 

Championship game, 14A.

No runners on.
During delivery, BU partner calls IP.
B1 swings and hits a slow roller to F4.
B1 gets about half-way and slows to an eventual stop about 15 ft from 1B.
F4 began to get set to throw to F3, but seeing B1, also slows and stops.
Both B1 and F4 have deer in headlights look.
B1 hesitantly starts back towards HP.
F4 hesitantly takes a few steps towards the circle and hands the ball to F1.
B1 arrives at HP.

I will tell you how we resolved this, but would like to hear your call first.

I don't suppose the count was 3-x, was it?

The play has not ended. I'd be out from behind the plate pointing fair until somebody got a clue. If offense gets the clue first, they may have a runner on 1st. If defense, enforce the IP penalty.

0-0 count prior to IP.

I agree with Tom's assessment so far. We still have play going on. Somebody had better get a clue.

I was just hoping the outcome of the actual play would be moot... oh, well...

I was out in front of the plate, up the line, as a result of trailing the runner, and BU partner was in ready position to make the call at 1B. We both knew there was still a play going on, however I did not point to indicate fair ball . There was no question that it was a fair ball, but in the weirdness of the moment, it did not occur to me to signal a live ball (in hindsight I coulda/shouda).

When B1 passed me up going back to HP, I killed the play. Informed both teams that an IP is a DDB and since neither team chose to make a play, put B1 back up with a 1-0 count.

What about that part in there where B1 starts going back to HP?

Although B1 was headed back to HP, she was not avoiding a tag. Therefore no INT.
You could also say that she abandoned the base, but did not go into the team area.
For that matter, the defense abandoned the opportunity to get an out.

OK...so how about the other one down there, I think it is "H" on the list (I'm away from the house on, uh, business, and don't have a book with me) where she goes backward to delay or avoid a tag.

This would require an effort by the defense to actually retire the BR.

I may have waited a bit longer, say like when the batter-runner retrieved her bat, but I believe you handled it as best as possible.

I totally agree, but no one had mentioned either one and I just wanted to throw it out there to see if we could generate a little more dialog. ;)

OK, how about this. Change the setup to make it an NFHS game. What then?

I believe I'd be standing there watching BR picking up her bat, still pointing toward fair territory until someone got it. I'd be wondering why I'm having an 8U moment in a higher level game, but having worked 8U, it would not be the first time I was the only one still "playing".

Even if they had tagged her out - the offense gets the choice of the play or the IP so the batter would still be up with a 1-0 count.