umpire gets call wrong

Question
QUESTION: hi, means fastpitch softball game. Two down, no runners on base. 4-man umpire crew. Batter hits a long fly ball to centre field, hits the top of the fence and bounces back into the glove of the centre fielder.  The second base umpire went out for the call and seeing the catch raises his arm and calls out the third out.  The runner had already reached second base but thinking it was the third out, starts running back to the dugout.  The throw is made back to the shortstop who then tags the runner but no call is made as we already had a third out.  The offensive team now calls "time".  The  coach argues with the plate umpire that this was a "no catch" so based on the wrong call by the umpire, he was put in jeopardy by the umpire (see rule 10).  During the conference, the umpire who made the call agreed he got it wrong as he misinterpreted the playing rule.  What have you got, safe or out? If safe, where do we place the batter-runner? cheers, dave

ANSWER: Hi Dave,

ASA 10-3-C. The plate umpire may rectify any situation in which the reversal of an umpire抯
decision or a delayed call by an umpire places a batter-runner, a runner or
the defensive team in jeopardy.

here I would put the b-r on the base they would have made in my opinion had the out not been called.

Mark

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

QUESTION: thanks Mark,
this game was played under ISF rules, rule 10 is not as clear as what you state with ASA, would you have a different outcome? I tend to agree with your ruling but an alternative viewpoint suggests that the offensive team should have known the rules and the runner should have perhaps stayed on 2B before calling time out. His coming off the bag means he can be tagged out, tough luck...

Any thoughts?
cheers
dave

Answer
Hi Dave,

sure a few thoughts......when the BU called the batter out, since it was the 3rd out, the inning is over and "time" is in.  It makes no difference that the offense asked for time later ( runner on base, off base doesn't matter) since you were already in it.

I would think under any rule set the PU can rectify an umpire error such as this, "he misinterpreted the playing rule".  I'm also not sure what rules someone think the offense should have known, or think they violated, the b-r was already called out and running or not running the bases makes no difference.  How can you put a runner out that is already called out? Plus the ball was not "live", you can make no play with a dead ball.

The BU put the b-r in jeopardy, that's the situation by making the wrong call of a legally caught fly ball that by rule had already hit the "ground" (yes I know it hit the top of the fence, same thing).

I'm protecting the b-r, there is going to be 2 outs and that runner on some base, and the next batter is coming to the plate. That's how I see it.

best

Mark