Expert: Brian Flaspohler - 5/19/2009

Question
1 out.  runner on first.  batter swings and misses 3rd strike.  catcher dropped ball.  batter runs toward 1st.  catcher looks at umpire who does not say anything.  catcher throws ball over 1st basemans head.  runner on 1st scores winning run.  i say the runner has to go back to 2nd or 1st base.  umpire says the batter is out on strikes since 1st base was occupied at time of pitch.  but he says since we made a play on the batter the run counts.  age group is youth 14.

Answer
Steve,

Umpire is right on this one.  The ball is not dead.  The batter is out because first base was occupied, but the runner at first has every right to advance as far as they can as long as the ball stayed in play.  If the ball went into the stands, the runner would have to stop at 3rd.

Hope this helps!

Brian