running after a strike out

Question
QUESTION: Hi Mark,
Recently we played a team whose coach has every girl who strikes out, even when the ball is caught by catcher, run all the way to first.  This is especially distracting when there are runners on the bag.  By the way, this is high school ball, but my question pertains to travel as well. I know the coach has them doing this to confuse the defense, but under the guise that they are simply conditioned to run after every strike out in the event that the catcher drops it.  Can the umpire do anything about this, based on intent to confuse, or delay of game, or possibly some other rule like lack of sportsmanship or something?  I have seen this result in an unnecessary throw to first, allowing a runner to advance from second to third.

ANSWER: Hi Mike,

The umpire should be emphatic with a batters' out, a couple of times if needed, not much else an umpire can do.

Otherwise this shouldn't be a problem if your catcher is aware of the game situation and has been properly coached.  Simply throw the ball back to the pitcher, ignore the batter.

mark

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I do not know what you mean by "the umpire should be empathetic with a batter's out, a couple of times if needed"...  So if there is nothing an ump can do, I guess we should be instructing our girls to run every strike out all the way to first, regardless of the situation.  I was hoping to hear that an umpire could stop this irritating practice by citing something specific in the rulebook.

Answer
Hi Mike,

I meant the PU should empathize the batter is out, maybe I used the wrong tense of the word, been a long time since 7th grade vocabulary.
When a batter begins running to 1st on a caught 3rd strike the plate umpire should say loudly "BATTERS' OUT" and again if necessary "BATTERS' OUT!"

It is incumbent on the catcher (and the defense) to know the game situation and that no throw is necessary.  The ball is live and if they throw it that's their responsibility.  Again a well coached team is not going to have a problem with this and the offense usually gives up after a few steps when they know that.

Mark