taking a walk on only third ball

[ixamnis]

Girls NAIA softball game. 2 outs, runners at first and second. Batter has a 2-2 count. Ball three is thrown. Batter takes off to first base. Confusion reigns. Both runners advance to the next base, but runner on first evidently stops and then goes to second. Runner on second goes straight to third. Home plate Umpire informs batter that it was only the third ball and then asks the coach of the team in the field to stay in the dugout, he has the call. Two umpires converse and home plate umpire calls the runner at first out (third out) for hesitation. Lots of discussion followed. Call stood.

Now I have no idea whether they got this call right. Because it also depends on how the ball got back to the pitcher and what she did with it when she was in the circle. I was just amazed that the umpires were able to even try to keep track of it. I asked the home plate umpire about it after the game and he said, "when the girl started heading to first, I said two words and the first began with O and the last ended in T"

Not really a rules question but given how evil and dirty fastpitch softball can get, wouldn't it be possible to have a play on when you have runners on base to advance them by your batter heading to first on a third ball?

[CoachBill]

If the runners advanced on a thurd ball, even by mistakes, I would think that you could score them as a stolen base. Especially in fastpitch, my sport, there are lots of crazy base stealing opportunities outside of a straight steal (drop third strike comes to mind).
On the umpires getting it "right"? I'm impressed that the realized that the ball was in the circle and that the runner hesitated long enough to be called out. That is so often missed even with two umps. In a one ump game, it is almost never caught.
Have a great season!

[OhioTex]

"when the girl started heading to first, I said two words and the first began with O and the last ended in T"

I must be tiered , I can't fill in the blank. … Two words O___ and ____ T..

[ixamnis]

Didn't see this reply until yesterday...

I have been too busy following softball with no iscore issues coming up....

Serious... you couldn't figure them out?

First word has just two letters and ends in H.

Second word begins with S....

Does that help?