D3K - Again
 

Working with an umpire that was at the ASA touney this year. D3K subject
came up during a between games break.

This is according to this individual what happened and results.

R1 on 2nd 1 out. 2-2 Ct., batters swings at a pitch that is in the dirt and
takes one bounce to the catcher, who fields the ball. Catcher throws the
ball immediately to pitcher. Batter, returning to her dugout, 1st base side,
without entering dugout or DB territory then slips to 1B. Called safe by the
BU. Defensive coach questions the call, then protests over misinterp of the
rules by the officials. UIC is brought to the field and after hearing what the
coach has to say, which is, as I was told - "How can it be a D3K, when the
catcher never dropped the ball?" "She fielded the hop cleanly?"

UIC's ruling was to the officials, that the coach's protest was valid and that
the runner should be called out.

Will not say who the UIC was.

Am wondering if anyone has ever heard this ruling and would "out" be the
correct ruling. Naturally this would not come into play ofter, because most
times when it happens, the catcher just tags the runner before they can
move on.

Looking at 8-1B, I got a runner on 1st and 2nd.

Coach is an idiot and has no idea what an "uncaught third strike" is.

It may have been a valid protest as he believed the umpire misinterpreted the rule, but it should have also been denied based upon 8.1.B.1. UIC isn't much smarter than the coach.

Good idea.
I agree.

thats correct, the un-named UIC got it wrong

If this version is an accurate accounting of what happened.

Agree, working solely on the presumption information offered was accurate.

That is the version I got. Not sure how accurate, but this umpire even
went so far as to agree with the change from safe to out, so maybe
they did not get the Whole Story.

Well, the description given has two opportunities for the mythical out to be called, and you will find considerable coaches and even some umpires who will agree with one or both:

1) BR abandoned her attempt to advance by heading for the dugout, and
2) It was not a "dropped" 3K since the catcher caught the ball on the bounce.

I don't know what could be missing from the story that would make the UIC's ruling correct.

Agree, working solely on the presumption information offered was accurate.

True. It's hard to believe an ASA UIC would blow this call. Just a thought—this wasn't a foul tip that hit the dirt before hitting the bat, was it? That situation might be more likely to look like a scooped third strike but actually be an out.