No Advantage - Spirit of the Rule

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If one understands the rationale behind a rule, then one can use common sense and apply the rule for the situation for which is was intended. Clearly, this is not the situation for which this rule exists. Would an umpire be wrong for calling an out here? No. However, common sense dictates some latitude.

I had a similar situation in a regional HS game several years ago. R1 at 1st is moving on a hit-and-run (which really should be called a run-and-hit, right??). The batter foul tips the pitch and the runner reaches 2nd without a throw to the bag. Instead, the catcher returns the ball to the pitcher. At that time, R1 starts heading back to 1st when her teammates and coaches yell at her to stay at 2nd.

The defensive coach is wanting a LBR call and speaks to my partner who was working the bases.

We got together and I suggested that this was not a violation of the spirit of the rule and that's the call he decided to go with. I had some concern that a defensive player might have told the runner that it was foul ball which would have caused R1 to retreat.