Batter Not Hit by Ball but goes to first, runners advance

[jayriggs11]

Hi all, weird situation in our 16u USA A State semifinal game; runners on 1st and 2nd, less than 2 outs; batter (RH) has 1-2 count and squares to bunt (yep, she did); pulls back, lifts right leg on inside pitch, tosses bat and starts towards first as if ball hit her (it didn't and HU made no call as such); runner on 2b had a good lead, stopped, then started again when she saw the batter start towards first; our catcher threw ball back to pitcher, but ball hadn't gotten back to her before runner on 2b advanced; pitcher threw to 3b, safe; SS threw to 2b (for girl advancing from first), safe; runner on third scores; mass confusion - HU calls batter (now standing on 1b) back to plate because she only has 1 ball (now 2); continues with AB...

a lot to unpack here, but i guess my question is there a rule about the batter advancing to first without being awarded (either by BB, HBP, hit, or some other legal means) the base?

thanks.

 

[SoulFY]

Doesnt seem like too much mass confusion. Looked like the defense tried to get some outs and just threw the ball around. Nothing stops the batter going to first if she think she got hit by the ball. A real stretch could be if they continue to do this and the umpire feels like it is intentional then you could give warnings and then ejections. Could also go for a strike on the batter if they fail to get into the box in 10 seconds.

I also think USA softball has a one foot in the box rule still? There are exceptions when they can leave the box.

Umpires didnt call a dead ball so nothing more to do unless they do this multiple times.

 

[The Man In Blue]

I am agreeing with @SoulFY … your defense was head’s up enough to attempt to make plays, so it takes the wind out of any claim the batter caused anything. If this was my game, I wouldn’t say anything to the batter until the play was done. Since the defense is making a live, legal play and the umpires seemed to be on top of it, I don’t see anything the batter is affecting. Now, had they made a play on the batter, the story changes.

You’d possibly have a claim for a violation on the batter if your defense did nothing, but it still wouldn’t be much of one. The umpire makes the calls, not the players.

As SoulFy said, a one-off occurrence and I’m not doing anything as an umpire. Repeated occurrences and we need to have a talk.

 

[gdc03120]

It doesn't appear as though there was any intentional interference by the batter. She took off thinking she got hit, so she did what any batter would figure to do. Because of that, the runners did what they figured to do. In situations like this (similar to a situation here where the D3K is NOT in effect), the onus is on the DEFENSE to know the environment and play accordingly. This would just be 2 stolen bases (1 for each runner), likely a third (for the lead scoring unless there was an error). The runners are liable to be put out regardless here. The umpires did the correct thing: Let the play occur and make changes AFTER the fact if they had to, knowing the happenings and situation themselves.

 

[flash277]

I had a play like this in middle school, but with drop 3rd strike. One out bases loaded, batter struck out but catcher dropped ball. Batter runs to first. Catcher picks it up steps on home and throws to first. Now we all know batter can't go to first but apparently the defense and their coach didnt. The base runners were confused too since they all advanced. The defense is yelling at me that the catcher stepped on home so the runner on 3rd was forced out, it took awhile to explain to him there was no force since the batter wasn't allowed to go to first, runner from 3rd scored

 

[EdLovrich]

The only thing that MIGHT apply, is if USA has a "remain in the box unless certain situations apply". Usually these do NOT include a ball unless it forces the batter out of the box to avoid HBP. (I am not a USA umpire so unsure). Since the 2B runner headed back for a moment I would not think this was a planned deception and the B may have even fooled her teammate, putting her in jeopardy had the defense executed.