Bizarre play

[jrewell1978]

U10 game, tie score, bottom of 7th, 0 outs, runners on 2nd & 3rd, ground ball to F5, F5 throws out R1 at home, F2 throws out R2 at 3rd. Defense starts to run off field thinking there's three outs, coaches tell them there's only two. Meanwhile, BR (who had touched and rounded 1B) gets caught up with the defense into believing the third out had been made starts coming off the field and is on the third base side of second base until his coach starts telling him there's only two. BR and and F5 (who still has the ball) dart towards 2B and BR beats F5 to bag. D wants me to call BR out for being out of baseline, but out of sheer confusion, I call nothing and the next batter singles to LF, runner scores to win game and I make a beeline to the parking lot.

After I got home, I consult my UIC and my rulebook and discover that I SHOULD have called the BR out due to his obvious giving up on the play, HOWEVER couldn't the defensive team been guilty of some sort of infraction (i.e., obstruction)? This was two weeks ago and on one hand I realize I royally blew it, on the other hand I'm still trying to rationalize my keeping mum on the field about it.

[noumpere]

If everyone is confused (as they were), put it back.  BR to second.

 

I would NOT call abandonment here.

[maven]

Me neither. Your ruling works for me.

[HokieUmp]

U10 game, tie score, bottom of 7th, 0 outs, runners on 2nd & 3rd, ground ball to F5, F5 throws out R1 at home, F2 throws out R2 at 3rd. Defense starts to run off field thinking there's three outs, coaches tell them there's only two. Meanwhile, BR (who had touched and rounded 1B) gets caught up with the defense into believing the third out had been made starts coming off the field and is on the third base side of second base until his coach starts telling him there's only two. BR and and F5 (who still has the ball) dart towards 2B and BR beats F5 to bag. D wants me to call BR out for being out of baseline, but out of sheer confusion, I call nothing and the next batter singles to LF, runner scores to win game and I make a beeline to the parking lot.

After I got home, I consult my UIC and my rulebook and discover that I SHOULD have called the BR out due to his obvious giving up on the play, HOWEVER couldn't the defensive team been guilty of some sort of infraction (i.e., obstruction)? This was two weeks ago and on one hand I realize I royally blew it, on the other hand I'm still trying to rationalize my keeping mum on the field about it.

​I agree with the other respondents - you're fine.

Where would this alleged "out of the baseline" have happened?  Did BR head back to second in a direct line, once being chased by F5?  Then there's no problem with how that played out.

[DVA7130]

Anywhere on the diamond should never be called abandonment. It sounds like BR went directly to second. Sounds like he stayed in his basepath to me.