Do-over?

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by greymule

Last night, in a men's SP league for which I assign the umpires, the lights (on a timer) went out in the 7th inning of a 19-16 game just as F6 released a throw toward 1B in an attempt to retire the BR for the third out. (There's virtually no ambient light at this field, so everything went immediately pitch black.)

At the time, there were runners on 2B and 3B. Naturally, the play was not completed. The lights could not be turned back on, so the game is suspended and will be completed next week.

I'm assuming that this is a do-over. Right?

Not sure what you mean by a "do over." If you are talking about the game being replayed from the beginning or from the point the lights went out, that is really a decision for the league officials to decide based upon their code. Not an umpire issue.

If they are asking you for your opinion on how to handle the situation as they are resuming play from the point the lights went out, then I would say the only choice would be to reset everyone to where they were before the play began when the lights went out.

[Andy]

I agree with Scott...reset batter, runners, and the count to the time of the pitch and start there.

I'm kind of curious about one thing though...when the lights went out with the ball in flight toward F3, what happened, did F3 duck out ot the way or was he able to somehow catch or deflect the ball?

[Dakota]

By the book (ASA 5-3-C) the game was suspended due to darkness. Beyond 5 innings, so the game is regulation. Since you were still playing, I'm assuming this was either the top of 7 or home was behind. Either way, revert to the score at the end of 6. Done, unless the score was tied at the end of 6.

If the game must be resumed due to league rules or a tie score at the end of 6, you would resume play at the point just before the pick-off attempt (ASA 5-3-F).

[SRW]

This happened in 2005 at the 12U Regional here in Seattle. I was PU on Field 4 at the time, but the situation happened on Field 3:

Runner on 2B. Fly ball hit to F8. While the ball is in the air, Field 3's lights go out.

The decision by Wild Bill: This is a do-over. Since it was only Field 3's lights that went out, they were able to move to empty Field 6 (which still had lights on) and continue the game at the point of the time of the pitch.