damon2g

Thank you everyone. I appreciate the honest and professional feedback. I am a better umpire for it.

Here's my issue with this place. I searched the NFHS rulebook and casebook and there are no rules to my knowledge that support my decision. However, my fear on this play if I don't make a ruling, then the potential for this play to happen will increase. By having no rules to prevent this, a batter-runner could essentially do this every pitch that is not ball four or a dropped third strike. For clarification, would I not be covered under any of the following rules? NFHS Rule 7-3 Article 5c "ART. 5 . . . Interfere with the catcher’s fielding or throwing by: c. making any other movement which hinders actions at home plate or the catcher’s attempt to play on a runner NFHS Rule 10-3 G "Make final decisions on points not covered by the rules." OBR 9.01b Each umpire has authority to order a player, coach, manager or club officer or employee to do or refrain from doing anything which affects the administering of these rules, and to enforce the prescribed penalties.

Wacky play at a Triple Crown tournament event, 11-12 year old baseball. We have runners on 1st and 3rd with one out. New batter. Batter squares around and attempts to bunt. Runner from 3rd is coming home and runner on 1st heads for 2nd. Suicide squeeze play attempt. Batter misses the bunt. The ball come out of the catcher's glove and begin to roll down the first base line in fair territory. The batter-runner start running to first base. The catcher picks up the ball and instead of attempting to tag the runner coming home, he makes a throw to first base on the batter runner. This play really happened. I call time and I rule that the lead runner is out via deception. From my perspective, the batter-runner had no reason to run to the first base because he clearly missed the bunt and the catcher was deceived by the action of the batter-runner. If not so, then the catcher could potentially have made a play on the lead runner. I return the batter-runner to the plate with no balls one strike. The runner on second stays. Thoughts, comments? Thanks.