Ask the Ump!

DROPPED THIRD STRIKE

QUESTION: In high school, baseball and softball, two outs, no runners on base; batter swings and misses for strike three. Catcher drops the third strike. Batter walks toward dugout thinking he/ she is out on strike three. Catcher rolls ball back toward mound assuming inning is over. Is batter automatically called out in this play for giving up on play?

ANSWER: In this live ball play, despite dropped third strike, batter-runner must be put out by defense by tagging person or throwing to first base. Batter-runner still has right to advance to first as long as he/ she does not enter the dugout. Abandoning effort would be called upon entering dead ball area and he/ she would be called out. (BB-Rule 2, Sec. 24, Art. 2-4 and Rule 7, Sec. 4, Art. 1,b) (SB- Rule 2, Sec. 38, Art. 3&4; Rule 7, Sec. 4, Art. 5 & 7).

QUESTION: Runners on second and first; two outs; batter again swings and misses as catcher drops third strike. Is batter called out due to first base being occupied in this play?

ANSWER: Ball remains live and batter-runner maintains right to attempt to advance to occupied first base because there are two outs. If there were less than two outs, batter-runner would be called out immediately due to first being occupied during the live ball play. (BB- Rule 8-1-1,b) (SB- Rule 7-4-5&7).

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