R2 stealing 3rd on a 3-1 pitch that bounces in front of the plate and is deflected by the catcher directly into the dugout, but crossed into dead ball territory after R2 had rounded 3rd. Where do you place the runners and why?
- R2 gets 3rd and the batter gets 1st. A pitched ball that deflects out of play is a 1 base award from the time of the pitch.
- R2 scores and the batter gets 2nd. In the umpire’s judgment, the runner from second would most likely have scored on the play had it not gone into a dead ball area. The runner earned 1st for the walk and got awarded second on the dead ball.
- R2 scores and the batter gets 1st. R2 had acquired 3rd before the ball went out of play, so he is allowed to score. The batter had not yet acquired 1st so he is only awarded 1st base. A pitched ball that deflects directly out of play is only a one base award.