Third Strike touched ground

[ishakcks]

I need clarification on this:

2 out, a runner on third, 2 strikes on the batter.
Pitcher pitched a drop ball, batter swung and missed, the pitched ball dropped few inches behind the home plate, 1 bounce but was swiftly and firmly caught by the catcher.

Is it an automatic out for batter or does the catcher need to tag the batter or throw to first ?

[LIUmp]

ASA:
This is a non-caught third strike and batter is not out until tagged, F2 throws the ball to 1B before BR arrives or BR walks into the dugout without proceeding to 1B. (Rule 8 Section 1B)

This is true in baseball as well as other softball leagues. Batter would only be out automatically when there is a runner on first with less than two outs.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by ishakcks

I need clarification on this:

2 out, a runner on third, 2 strikes on the batter.
Pitcher pitched a drop ball, batter swung and missed, the pitched ball dropped few inches behind the home plate, 1 bounce but was swiftly and firmly caught by the catcher.

Is it an automatic out for batter or does the catcher need to tag the batter or throw to first ?

LIB is correct. "Dropped 3rd strike" is a misleading generic name used for what is officially (at least with ASA) as the "Third Strike Rule". It basically states that any 3rd strike (called or swinging in FP/MP) not caught "in flight". You will occasionally see umpires refer to it as U3K for uncaught third strike.