Resolving umpire mistake

Question
12&U state championsip series.

This was similar to one of your previous questions regarding the umpire trying to correct a mistake.  One out w/ Runners on first and second w/ 2 ball, 2 strike count on the batter.  On ball three the batter heads to first as if they were walked.  Runner A on first heads to second.  Runner B on second heads to third.  The catcher realizes that the count is still full and immediately throws out lead runner B she thinks is stealing third. Home plate umpire makes the out call.  The offensive coach says they thought it was a walk and runners should get to go back.  

The umpire mistake occured with the field umpire who admitted to pointing to third when runner B panics half way to third, because he saw the batter and runner A advancing.  They call the tournament lead official who declared it a dead ball and sent the runners back (he refused any input from coaches including a protest)  As the defensive coach, I felt that even though the field umpire pointed to third we would have had a chance to put out runner A going from first to second or that runner B would have been forced off second by runner A.  It is their base coach and runners responsibilities to know the count.

Any way, the batter grounds out to first advancing the runners to second and third (should have been out three we feel)for out two.  Their slugger sends a rope into left center to score the two runs and put them up 5-4.  

We lose the series 2 games to 1.  After about a month I got over it. Strictly curiosity.  How would you have handled it.  

Answer
Hi Chuck,

Boy these umpire mistake questions are getting tough.  There are so many factors I didn't see or know.

Let's start with the home plate umpire should be loudly calling BALL 3, BALL 3 when the batter took a step to 2 towards 1st, I don't know how he handled it.

The base umpire should know the count and have the count on his "clicker".  When I was working with a new partner in touries as the home plate umpire I would in the 2nd or 3rd inning and in the right batting situation call time and ask my partner from 80' away I have 2 balls and 2 strikes, is that what you have?  I knew the count but it let them know they better be keeping the count also.  Obviously the base umpire didn't have the count and/or didn't hear the plate umpire (if they were strong on the ball 3)

Here's where the problem comes in as I see it.

The umpire mistake occurred with the field umpire who admitted to pointing to third when runner B panics half way to third, because he saw the batter and runner A advancing.  The field umpire put R1 at risk by basically telling R1 to go to 3rd.  When an umpire puts either the offense or the defense at risk we need to do what we can to make it right.

They call the tournament lead official who declared it a dead ball and sent the runners back (he refused any input from coaches including a protest)  

That's a job I have alot of experience in, and right away I get the story from my umpires.  I can tell you what happened, the base umpire says Kingfish (that's my nickname) I screwed up, I thought..... I usually don't need any input from the coaches as I make normally base my decision based on what the umpire's saw, did, the rules, etc. Afterwards I call you both coaches over to the 3 or 4 of us, explain to you what I was told happened, how I perceive the situation (here's your chance to say something, short and to the points I'm making)) and give you my decision.  You can't protest because there's no place to protest to, a tournament uic is the FINAL decision for that tournament.  Now I have to answer to the state uic but that is after the tournament is over and if I'm screwing up I don't get any more assignments.

It is their base coach and runners responsibilities to know the count.  That's correct but the base umpire still made a mistake, would R1 have returned to 2nd except for the point?  and then what would R2 have done?  What play if any could have been made on R1 if they moved back to 2nd?

As the defensive coach, I felt that even though the field umpire pointed to third we would have had a chance to put out runner.  I'm going to disagree based on the few facts I have here.  The base umpire put that runner at risk IMO.  I going to agree w/ the tournament uic that we are going to replay from the point of the umpire's mistake.

This doesn't enter into my decision, it really doesn't, but the bottom line as far as getting over it, is the defense is no worse off than it was if the batter would have stood in the box after ball 3 and the runners held their positions.

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