Awarded Bases on an Over Throw April 11 2015, 0 Comments

Umpire question if you please: we were playing a high school game on Friday and we had a situation that seems to be contradicting in how the umpire awarded the bases.  Here's the first situation the pitcher had a wild pitch go off of the catchers shin guards and go into the dugout.  The umpire only awarded one base the runner at first.  Then as circumstances would happen there was a runner at first a couple of innings later and the picture try to pick him off and threw it out of play over the fence.  This time the umpire awarded the runner all the way to third. I don't see the difference really.

Answer to Coach

I believe the umpire was right because of the rule that governs the pitcher and overthrows.  When a picture is in contact with the rubber ball that he throws as a pitcher no matter where he throws is only awarded one base on overthrow out of play.  What I think you left out of the description of the play to first base is, that the pitcher stepped off the rubber and threw it out and play.  When he stepped off the rubber he became the infielder the rule for infielders outfielders is two bases at the time throw are awarded. Therefore he was infielder, the runner possessed first base, so he was awarded two bases on the overthrow out of play and ended up at third base. So I believe that's what happened in the umpire was correct.