Umpire Error

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by rottiron01

...but there was no box being used lines marked....

I assume that is what you meant. As several have said, the lack of lines does not mean there is no batter's box. It only means umpire must judge the boundaries of the box.

Originally Posted by rottiron01

...The umpires met and ruled that although the batter did step up there were no lines so they could not determine if the batter would have stepped all the way out of the box when contact with the ball was made....

This is unusual for this particular call, but, in general, the calling umpire can ask his partner for additional information, and based on that, reverse his call.

Originally Posted by rottiron01

...The umpires ruled that: Batter gets first base, the runner on first gets third, and the runner from second scored. They used their judgment at the time the ball was picked up by the outfielder. (The outfielders did not hear the batter out call so they made a normal play on the ball.)

Sounds like they applied ASA rule 10-3-C, which is proper when a call is reversed.

Originally Posted by rottiron01

...The offensive team protests the game because they felt the umpire did not know the rule. The offensive team enden up losing by one run. Is this misinterpretation of a rule or not because they changed their call?...

When did the offensive team lodge their protest? Sounds like they protested only because they lost the game. If they waited until then to protest the game based on an earlier play, the protest is improper and should not be allowed.

And, if the "misinterpretation" being protested is changing the call, as I said above, this is allowed and provided for in the rules, so the protest should not be upheld on this basis.

Originally Posted by rottiron01

... Can you call "out of the box" if there is no box being utilized drawn?

Yes.