I had a game today at a field where they have a lot of foul ground before dead ball territory, maybe 100', down the right field line. Before the game at the pre-game conference the head coach tells me "those people seated down the right field are behind the dead ball line", the lines on the field are almost non-existent because of the rain we've had and the grass has not been cut. Here's the situation runners on second and third, 2 outs. Ground ball to the SS who throws wild to first and the ball heads towards dead ball territory I am at the plate and the base umpire is in the "C" position. On the hit both runners are on the move I move away from the plate a little up the line and toward the dead ball line, while watching both the runners and the ball. I see the ball go past where the people were sitting and beyond, the ball disappears. I call time, dead ball award both the runners on base home and the batter-runner second. The fans down the right field line are yelling that the ball is still live. The head coach comes to me and I explain the situation. My question is, what more or different could I have done? In thinking it over "MAYBE" I could have yelled to my partner "I'm on the ball" and left him to watch all runners, BUT is that right?
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