Mercy/Slaughter Rule - game continued then stopped

[BigUmpJohn]

Originally posted by digher38
Girls SP championship game. At the bottom of the fifth, mercy rule comes into effect, visitor losing. Both managers are aware, team that is down wants to continue play. Ump says so long as losing team is willing to continue, ok. Sixth inning starts. In the middle of the visitor's line-up, an ineligible player bats, hits a HR & two runs score. Home team protests player, ump sends one runner back to base, calls batter out. Play continues. Visitors score 6 runs, mercy rule no longer in effect. Home comes up to bat. Has one runner on base & batter in box. Home manager then screams that the game was over on mercy rule and pulls his team off field. Umpire now says official scorekeeper didn't notify him of mercy situation & calls game with home team winner.

Is this a win for home team by mercy rule or a forfeiture by ego win for visitor? (League rules state: Once a game has started, managers cannot intentionally forfeit a game by removing his/her team from the playing field.)

First, welcome to the board.

Let me be the first to attack this situation. I'm sure I'll be corrected later.

I do not think I would allow the game to continue in a championship game after mercy rule. There are two reasons off the top of my head. First, IT'S A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME! Follow the rules. I could see an exhibition game, but not the final. Unless this is a typo, you said that the team that was down wanted to continue. Why would the home team want to continue? Second, there is a liability now put on the umpire if someone gets hurt. You do have a responsibility now.

As for the bonus softball, if the home team is up to bat, they cannot pull their team off the field during their half of the inning unless the umpire calls it due to uncontrollable circumstances like weather or darkness.

This was just a nasty situation that shouldn't have even occured. From what you said, the umpire called the game due to the mercy rule... just an inning later. Home team should've won, just not the way that happened.