Dropped Third Strike Rule

[Comp]

Batter swings and misses on 3rd strike with no one on base. Catcher drops the ball. Batter walks toward the dugout in disgust. Catcher throws the ball back to pitcher in the circle. Meanwhile, the dugout coach pushes the batter toward first base, the batter then proceeds to run across the middle of the diamond and reaches first base. Is she allowed to stay at first or is she out? This is a post from a high school game that is very interesting and happened. Hint art 4 under NFHS. I asked 6 coaches and 4 umpires this weekend and all got the rule wrong. She put one foot in the bench area and was called safe at first.

Turning and walking away and running across the middle of the infield are nothing and would be completely legal by themselves. But, setting foot inside the dugout and being pushed toward first by the coach are both offenses by the offensive team and the batter should have been called out.

 

[joeman39]

Ok in the high school rule book in parentheses it says (in flight) so how does a ball bouncing on the ground be in flight?? Just a question... I know what we call but wondered why (in flight)

 

[Comp]

Ok in the high school rule book in parentheses it says (in flight) so how does a ball bouncing on the ground be in flight?? Just a question... I know what we call but wondered why (in flight)

Might help to reference where in the rule book you are refering and to what specifically you are questioning.

 

[MTR]

A pitched ball which bounces obviously doesn't reach the catcher in flight.

And the call on the play would be runner assistence by a member of the offensive team by someone other than another runner. It is NOT interference.

 

[honus14]

I'm guessing he's referring to this:

[Rule 7-4] ART. 7 . . . [The batter is out when] (F.P.) A third strike (in flight) is not caught, a runner occupies first base at the time of the pitch and there are less than two outs. (8-2-1)

I agree that it's inartfully worded (as it could imply that a third strike which is not in flight is something different). It might have been better to say "On any third strike when a runner occupies . . . " I think they did this because the rules define "catch" to include balls in flight and balls not in flight, so for other parts of the rule, the (in flight) is necessary.

 

[joeman39]

Comp sorry I have to get the book but I believe honus14 is correct in the rule and art. Didn't really mean a question just a question for thought. To me I don't really see how you can call a drop third strike when a catcher doesn't drop the ball. Ball bounces catcher catches and it's still a drop third strike. Now I know and what's called but just for thought and since this in flight has been added was just thinking out loud.

 

[BaldNBeautiful]

The way it was explained to me is thus: It is not necessarily a dropped third strike, it is an uncaught third strike. The difference being if the ball hits the ground at any time it is an uncaught third strike. In other words, if the pitch touches the ground (either after reaching the catcher's mitt or skipping in the dirt before she can catch it clean) it is an uncaught strike.

 

[MTR]

it is an uncaught third strike.

^^^^^^

This is the fact of life. To the point that some umpires refer to it as U3K, not D3K.

 

[Sweet Lou]

^^^^^^

This is the fact of life. To the point that some umpires refer to it as U3K, not D3K.

That too can be confusing terminolgy though. A catcher who picks a short hop swinging strike three "caught" the ball and did not "drop" it. She just didn't catch it without it first hitting the ground.

 

[MTR]

That too can be confusing terminolgy though. A catcher who picks a short hop swinging strike three "caught" the ball and did not "drop" it. She just didn't catch it without it first hitting the ground.

How confusing can this be?

Same in ASA (8.1.B) and NFHS (8.1.1.b)

The batter becomes a BR:

"When the catcher fails to catch the third strike before the ball touches the ground"