2 outs defense leaves field...call?

[youngump]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

OK, been thinking about what I said earlier about ignoring the touch of third because the runner was not actually running the bases. And I agree it's problematical.

However, take this a half-step further.

Instead of third - for some reason R1 heads toward home, perhaps to pick up a discarded bat or something. She inadvertently touches home plate, then proceeds into the dugout, with the defensive team leaving the field as well.

If you consider touching 3rd in the OP as a baserunning touch, where runner needs to return to 2nd before 1st... then in this sitch, her touch of home was a SCORE. The defense leaving the field would mean they cannot appeal the 2 missed bases.

Except there are only two outs. And I'm pretty sure when you bring them out, and the runner from first trots back out and you tell everybody that she's scored that during the ensuing storm you'll end up getting an appeal.

What else are you going to do? Call her out for leaving the field and ignore the fact that she touched home? You could get her for running the bases in reverse order. End result will be the same in all three, no run and three outs. And you'll only seem crazy if you make the call that seems to be supported by rule.