Umpires Disagree

Question
Okay, this was a weird one and after asking several officials over the last couple months, have yet to get the same answer.  I will explain what happened and then what I did and maybe you can tell me both the best thing for me as a manager and what the umpires should rule according to the rules.  This is an adult slowpitch league.

Scenario: Runners on 1st and 3rd, no outs.  Batter hits a short pop fly to left field in which the left fielder dives for an appears to get (neither the 3rd baseman or the 1st baseman left the base, they were both tagging).  The umpire in the field, clearly ruled the ball a catch (he had the better angle on it).  The runner from 3rd tags and runner on 1st stays at first (never left first and the batter runner never touched 1st).  The home plate umpire then said no catch as the ball was being thrown in from the outfield to the SS.  While the ball is in the air, the home plate umpire claims he called time.  When the ball reaches the SS, he realizes that the umpire called no catch and touches 2nd base because the runner is still on 1st.  Also seeing the batter runner is talking to the base coach and walking to the dugout, he throws to 1st and the first baseman touches the base.  This is a very close and competitive game and chaos breaks out.  The home plate umpire, after pausing, awards the runner on first 2nd and the batter/runner 1st.

I as the manager, go to both umpires and politely request them to talk to each other.  I would like to either appeal 1. The catch was made and that the batter runner should be out and the runner on 1st remain there.
2. A catch was not made, both the runner on 1st and batter/runner should be out since neither of them touched the bag before the bag was touched with the ball by a fielder.


After conversation, they eventually ruled that there was no catch and the runner at 2nd was out.  The batter/runner was safe because time had been called.  Obviously, this is an entirely wrong call.  There is no situation where this could happen.  If anything, time was called before the ball hit the infield and both runners should receive their base.

So, what should have been the appropriate call?
Did I ask for the right thing in my appeal?
What is the remedy if an umpire does call time too quickly and it clearly affects the game, in a case like this?

Sorry for the length, I am pretty good with the letter of the rules, but have yet to figure out what the "correct" call according to ASA rules is.


Answer
Hi Richard,

Well I don't know if you'll get the same answer from me, I can only tell you how I'd handle it as a tournament UIC.

By the book if the BU went out it's his call on the fly ball.  If he stayed in it's the PU's call.

However you state the BU made the 1st call of of a legal catch and made it clear we have an "OUT!!!"  R1 tags and scores and R2 stays put and I assume BR does not advance to 1st. Now the mess starts when the PU says "no catch" and then calls "time".

You state "When the ball reaches the SS, he realizes that the umpire called no catch and touches 2nd base because the runner is still on 1st.  Also seeing the batter runner is talking to the base coach and walking to the dugout, he throws to 1st and the first baseman touches the base."  This is of no consequence to the discussion of what to do next as "time" has been called and "EVERYTHING STOPS".  No further plays are allowed to be made.  This is the same as an inadvertent whistle in football, everything that happens is now dead at the moment time was called.

"The home plate umpire, after pausing, awards the runner on first 2nd and the batter/runner 1st."  This is a possible solution as Chapter 10 allows the PU to rectify any situation that puts the br or runner in jeopardy.

Chap 10 also allows him to rectify any situation that puts the defense in jeopardy.

Without being in the conversation between the umpires I am at a loss as to why the BU whose at least 70-80' closer to the play and as you say with a better angle would not argue for the out.  UNLESS the PU was adamant that the call was his and he had no catch and he was going to rule such.  The PU has already messed it up if he felt there was no catch by not immediately making a very loud and expressive "NO CATCH, NO CATCH" Or better yet "TRAP! TRAP! TRAP!" AT THE TIME OF THE PLAY.  and then really messing things up for some reason calling time.

Now umpires always want to get the call right but in this case the PU should have just kept his mouth shut and R1 scores, R2 is at 1st and the batter is out....we play on with no problems.  And this could easily be the correct call as the BU had the better angle regardless of by the book whose call it was.

I really need to talk to both umpires and let them decide if the ball was caught or not.  You sound like you're the defensive coach and in this situation you are not going to get outs on R2 or the BR because of the plays that took place after time was called.

Based on the information I get from the umpires we are either going to have a catch, batter out, R1 scores and R2 is at 1st or possibly R2 is awarded 2nd and BR is awarded 1st.  

Since the mess caused both the defense and the offense to be put in jeopardy I'm going to bet the umpires decide catch, out, runner on 1st.

After the game in the umpire's locker room you can bet I'm going to have a "chat" with both the BU and PU. I'm not a happy UIC when things like this happen and don't need to happen and I doubt you'll see either umpire in the "big" games in the tournie.

Mark