Eject with no substitute

[LMSANS]

A friend gave me this scenario, his game was OBR, but I’d like to get all 3 Interps:

1-1 count on batter, called strike 2, batter argues and is ejected. Team has no bench players.

Is it an out?

Does next batter assume the count?

If the game continues, is that spot in the lineup an out or just skipped?

[Senor Azul]

2019 OBR rule 7.03(b) A game shall be forfeited to the opposing team when a team is unable or refuses to place nine players on the field.

Official Interpretation:  Wendelstedt:  If a team does not have nine eligible players remaining, the game is forfeited when the short-handed team:  (1) on defense, is on or must take the field; or (2) on offense, reaches a vacant position in the batting order.

 

[Gfoley4]

The above is the official interpretation, but I would simply treat that spot in the lineup as in out in a rec-level league. USSSA tournament probably would take the forfeit (or whatever TD says)

[Senor Azul]

From the 2016 BRD (section 269, p. 174): 

FED:  When no eligible substitute is available, a team may finish the game with eight players. PENALTY:  for fewer than eight players:  The short-handed team shall forfeit the game. (4-4-1f)

Official Interpretation:  Hopkins:  If a player at bat (B1) must be replaced because of illness, injury, or ejection, when there is no eligible substitute, the batter is declared out. B2 is the next batter. (Website 2010, #12)

2010 Baseball Rules Interpretations SITUATION 12: With no outs, B1 has a 2-1 count when his nose begins to bleed. He is not able to get it stopped and as a result cannot finish his at-bat. The team has no substitutes available. His coach believes that the batter next up in the order can assume his count. RULING: B2 cannot assume B1’s count. With no substitutes available, B1 is declared out and B2 will come to bat with one out. An out will be called each time that spot in the batting order comes to bat. When an eligible substitute becomes available, the team may return to playing with nine players. (4-4-1f, Note 1, Note 2) 

[Senor Azul]

NCAA:  A team shall forfeit when it no longer has nine eligible players. (5-12g)

Play:  R2, R3, 1 out. The home team, behind one run in the last inning, is at bat. B1 singles, R3 crosses the plate to tie the score, but R2 is thrown out trying to tally the winning run. He heatedly protests the umpire’s decision and is ejected. His team has no eligible substitute, and the ejection leaves the coach with only eight players. Ruling:  In FED, the game continues. In NCAA, the short-handed team shall forfeit. In OBR, the game continues:  The winning run is on first with two outs. If R1 scores, the home team will win; if the defense records a third out, the home team forfeits.

And since Mr. Gfoley4 brought up USSSA, here are a couple of relevant rules—

When using the continuous lineup and a player has to leave the game for any reason, that position in the line-up becomes an out when that at bat comes around.

Teams may play an official game with an eight (8) player line-up. If a team plays with an eight (8) player line-up, an out shall be declared for the ninth (9th) position in the batting line-up each turn at bat. A ninth (9th) player and all subsequent players may be added to the bottom of the batting line-up as soon as they become available.

[noumpere]

10 hours ago, LMSANS said:

A friend gave me this scenario, his game was OBR, but I’d like to get all 3 Interps:

1-1 count on batter, called strike 2, batter argues and is ejected. Team has no bench players.

Is it an out?

Does next batter assume the count?

If the game continues, is that spot in the lineup an out or just skipped?

If we change the play a bit so the on-deck batter argues and is ejected:

Fed: The on-deck batter's spot becomes an out when he is to appear.  The game continues with eight players.

NCAA:  Game over.

OBR: The current batter can continue the at-bat, but the game will be over when the team cannot field eight defensive players or when it's the ejected player's turn to bat.

That latter could make a difference if this was the bottom of the last inning in a close game (or there was a pending weather delay and the game was suspended and resmed and then the team had subs).  The home team *could* win the game before needing to forfeit.

 

[Mudisfun]

LL Majors and above, the game is 'suspended and referred to the BOD'. They cannot play with less than 9 by rule. LL Minors? Play on and just skip the 9 spot.