Should I, or could I have fixed this?

[FleasOf1000Camels]

HS game the other night I'm on the plate.  Game is bad, on verge of mercy rule and we've got bad weather headed our way.

Team that's leading had R1 with 1 out.  Ground ball to F6 should have been inning ending double play, buy relay throw gets away from F3 and rolls under the fence to DBT.   On deck batter was handing me some balls that had gone foul, and I didn't immediately notice that my partner had sent the batter-runner to 3rd.  I was just announcing the ball back in play when I noticed the runner at 3rd.  I know I should have stopped right there, got together with partner, but it went right past me.  Next pitch is fouled out of play, and now I've got time to think "why did he send him to 3rd?...no way he had reached 1st before F4's throw...why didn't defense question this?...should I even care at this point?...can we fix this now?"

The next batter struck out, and the runner never scored, so it had no impact on the game.  Spoke with partner after game, he knew he screwed up...realized it right about the same time I did.

Could we or should we have 'fixed' this once the next pitch had been delivered?

[noumpere]

I don't think you can legally fix it, but good game management might allow it.

[maven]

28 minutes ago, noumpere said:

I don't think you can legally fix it, but good game management might allow it.

Bring him back to the plate and see if you can get him to hit another double play ball.

[Minnz]

Poor game management. You give him a free base and need him to score to end at mercy rule and you don't find a way to get him home. Clearly a learning moment as I see it.

[BrianC14]

2 hours ago, FleasOf1000Camels said:

HS game the other night I'm on the plate.  Game is bad, on verge of mercy rule and we've got bad weather headed our way.

Team that's leading had R1 with 1 out.  Ground ball to F6 should have been inning ending double play, buy relay throw gets away from F3 and rolls under the fence to DBT.   On deck batter was handing me some balls that had gone foul, and I didn't immediately notice that my partner had sent the batter-runner to 3rd.  I was just announcing the ball back in play when I noticed the runner at 3rd.  I know I should have stopped right there, got together with partner, but it went right past me.  Next pitch is fouled out of play, and now I've got time to think "why did he send him to 3rd?...no way he had reached 1st before F4's throw...why didn't defense question this?...should I even care at this point?...can we fix this now?"

The next batter struck out, and the runner never scored, so it had no impact on the game.  Spoke with partner after game, he knew he screwed up...realized it right about the same time I did.

Could we or should we have 'fixed' this once the next pitch had been delivered?

A couple of things stood out here.

1) 2-man mechanics would have you out toward the pitcher's mound on this play, looking for INT at 2B while U1 is setting himself up for the play at 1B.    

2) It is PU responsibility to watch for the ball entering DBT.  Once you kill it, you can then make the award to B/R.     I'm puzzled at how you were handling baseballs from the on deck batter while U1 is making the base award.   

Now that said, I will admit that I've found my mind wandering during a game that's turning into a rout.    Couldn't you have just called a balk on the next pitch and brought R3 in for the game-ending run?     

 

[BrianC14]

2 hours ago, maven said:

Bring him back to the plate and see if you can get him to hit another double play ball.

Heck if you're going to go that route, wouldn't you want him hitting for extra bases, at least?