Strange ending to a USSSA fastpitch game.

[Guest Mark]

Looking for clarification on an incident in a USSSA fastpitch game. Game tied in the bottom of the 7th, bases loaded and no outs. Batter hits a ground ball to first. Fielder goes home for the force. The batter thinking that the first baseman touched first, returns to the dugout. The pitcher now has the ball in the circle when the first base coach yells for the girl to get back to first base. The girl runs off of the bench when the pitcher, not sure what is happening, throws the ball to first. The girl on third breaks for home and is safe, game over. The question, is the ball live if the runner runs out of the dugout to return to the base? The umpire just stood there like a big lump having no clue what to do. 

[noumpere]

IN baseball, the ball remains live and the BR is out for abandonment (or desertion).  Run scores. Game over.  Everyone gets ice cream.

[beerguy55]

In softball the batter/runner is out once they enter the bench...

Sec. 2.BATTER-RUNNER IS OUT

d. When he fails to advance to first base and instead enters his team area

1. After a fair ball is hit, or
2. After a base on balls is issued, or
3. Anytime that he may legally advance to first base

The umpire should have called her out at this point.

However, the play does remain live, even if the girl runs back out off the bench to first....provided the ump didn't call time once the pitcher had the ball in the circle (which is common on softball).

 

[Mudisfun]

16 hours ago, Guest Mark said:

The umpire just stood there like a big lump having no clue what to do. 

Or maybe the umpire knew exactly what to do, did his job, and expected the players to know how to play the game, which is their obligation.

Sounds like you got two outs, run scores, game over. What did you expect the 'lump' to do? Fix the one teams lack of rules knowledge and intervene? 

[Senor Azul]

From the USSSA Fastpitch Softball Rule Book (fourteenth edition):

Rule 8-17 The batter-runner is out:

J. When, after becoming a batter-runner, they do not attempt to reach first base before all infielders leave the diamond, the half-inning ends, or they give up by entering the bench or dugout area. EFFECT: Ball remains Live