2 outs - team leaves playing area

[NY Softball]

I had a Varsity HS game in NYS this week as PU. The second baseman caught a fly ball to make the second out of the game. After the catch the entire defensive team left the field and met their coaches who had come out behind the fence and near the first baseline. I signal two outs to the BU and he replies confirming two outs. A batter is standing near the batter's box ready to bat and no baserunners were on. I called dead ball and told the defensive team that there is only two outs. Luckily there were no runners on as this could have been a chaotic situation. After I got home, I searched the rule book (ASA) and couldn't find anything that addressed how to administer this situation. Anyone know of a ruling to control this type of situation?

[BuggBob]

Charged defensive conference comes to mind. Or start the pitch clock -- start calling balls every 20 seconds after 80 seconds plus running time score one for the offense.

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by NY Softball

I called dead ball and told the defensive team that there is only two outs.

I don't think I would have called dead ball, but telling the defense there are two outs sounds like the best thing to me.

If there were runners on base and the runners started advancing, perhaps that might also help the defense with their memory.

If the entire team had left the field before you could remind them there were only two outs, your games might go a little faster if you remind them faster.

[NY Softball]

Originally Posted by BuggBob

Charged defensive conference comes to mind. Or start the pitch clock -- start calling balls every 20 seconds after 80 seconds plus running time score one for the offense.

I did charge the team with a conference and told the coach that I could start calling balls on the batter. It was a non-conference game so the game didn't have a lot of impact for either team. I thought calling a dead ball and telling the team there were only two outs would keep things under control. Thanks for the reply.

[NY Softball]

Originally Posted by SC Ump

I don't think I would have called dead ball, but telling the defense there are two outs sounds like the best thing to me.

If there were runners on base and the runners started advancing, perhaps that might also help the defense with their memory.

If the entire team had left the field before you could remind them there were only two outs, your games might go a little faster if you remind them faster.

If there were runners on base, I think the defensive team might have reacted differently because they would have noticed the runners advancing. The BU had just told one of the outfielders there was one out. The defense was off the field and by the fence of the playing area so quickly and by the I confirmed there were only two outs, they were all congregated with their coaches. I am not as much concerned about the game going faster as I am with administering the game properly.

Still - anyone know of an ASA rule governing this situation?

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by NY Softball

If there were runners on base, I think the defensive team might have reacted differently because they would have noticed the runners advancing. The BU had just told one of the outfielders there was one out. The defense was off the field and by the fence of the playing area so quickly and by the I confirmed there were only two outs, they were all congregated with their coaches. I am not as much concerned about the game going faster as I am with administering the game properly.

Still - anyone know of an ASA rule governing this situation?

What kind of rule are you looking for?

There are rules for times between pitches, when runs may advance.. etc. You have to apply the appropriate rules to situations. I dont know of a specific rule that says "When a defense team leaves the field with two outs thou shalt_____" You gotta wing this one. Besides, I thought this was HS game? For me I would have just said "Hey there are only two outs".

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Besides, I thought this was HS game?

HS are not required to use NFHS rules and the OP specifically asked for ASA.

Personally, I don't say a word. If the teams change and start a new half, that's one less out I need to get to the parking lot. Shame on both teams for not knowing the situation. That's why they have coaches and scorekeepers.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by NY Softball

If there were runners on base, I think the defensive team might have reacted differently because they would have noticed the runners advancing...

This is the situation I had in a JV game a few weeks ago. I am working solo, there is one out, we are in the middle of one of those loooooong innings where the defense can do nothing right. Bases loaded, batter hits a ground ball to F4, F4 fields the ball and throws to first to retire B/R for out #2. Defense leaves the field. Third base coach knows that is only the second out and tells her runners to keep moving around the bases. Meanwhile, I am observing, making sure that all bases are properly touched and no runner passes another, etc.

About the time the last runner was halfway between third and home, the defense figured out something was up. One of the players looked at me and asked how many outs there were. I informed her there were two outs. Defense returned to the field, new batter came up, the game continued.

[NY Softball]

This was my first post on here and I am kind of surprised by some of the responses. Although I don't want spend an entire evening umpiring a high school softball game, my objective is not to see how quick I can get to the parking lot or how fast I can make the game go. Yah, keep the game moving along but also I umpire to be fair to the teams playing and display a work ethic to high school kids. If a team is taking their merry ole' time in warm-ups I will reduce the # of warm-up pitches. But to just speed up the game so I can get home 10 minutes earlier is not my philosphy of officiating.

In my OP I was looking for some advice on how to best to manage this situation and not let it turn into chaos. As I said in one of my other replies I did charge the defense with a conference. Luckily there were no runners on, but if there were, it may have been unfair to the offense to remind the defense there were only two outs. One reply was right in saying that the teams should know this. I often tell the cathcer when there is two outs and I believe I did in this situation as well.

[youngump]

Personally, I wouldn't even bother to check with my partner first if nothing else is going on. Just say to the catcher, I've got two outs, then go to my partner to check. If I'm wrong that's a lot less delay than the whole defense running off the field. Now if I've got runners on, that's a different story.
________
Redhead Cam

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by NY Softball

This was my first post on here and I am kind of surprised by some of the responses. Although I don't want spend an entire evening umpiring a high school softball game, my objective is not to see how quick I can get to the parking lot or how fast I can make the game go. Yah, keep the game moving along but also I umpire to be fair to the teams playing and display a work ethic to high school kids. If a team is taking their merry ole' time in warm-ups I will reduce the # of warm-up pitches. But to just speed up the game so I can get home 10 minutes earlier is not my philosphy of officiating.

In my OP I was looking for some advice on how to best to manage this situation and not let it turn into chaos. As I said in one of my other replies I did charge the defense with a conference. Luckily there were no runners on, but if there were, it may have been unfair to the offense to remind the defense there were only two outs. One reply was right in saying that the teams should know this. I often tell the cathcer when there is two outs and I believe I did in this situation as well.

I will still say nothing. You may not be aware of it, but there are teams which use this as a defensive strategy and I'm certainly not going to interfere with their game. If the defense runs off the field and the offense does the same, shame on the offense. The defense is risking exactly what happened above in Andy's game, intentional or not. Cannot be anymore fair than that.

If asked, I'll readily provide the number of outs, but I'm not acting as a traffic cop for teams. It's not the umpire's job to direct the players during play other than the batter to the box and the pitcher to pitch.

[NY Softball]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

............ Besides, I thought this was HS game? ..........

It WAS a HS game, what do you mean/what are you asking? In New York state ASA is the rule book that governs public HS softball.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by NY Softball

It WAS a HS game, what do you mean/what are you asking? In New York state ASA is the rule book that governs public HS softball.

Thats awesome. Wish it was that way in CA, but we gotta play HS rules for HS ball.

Anyway, I still woulda just told em "there are 2 outs".. I wouldnt have pressed it or panicked though. If both sides insist on ending a 1/2 inning... I'm all for those 2 out 1/2 innings.