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We were playing fall ball today in the sunny and actually warm Midwest and this situation came up. Bases loaded, no outs. Catcher drops third strike, batter takes off to first. Catcher throws to first gets one out ball goes back to home runner is safe. Could we have played it as follows: catcher steps on home plate for forced out then throws to first to get second out. My question is did we have to play the batter first because of the dropped third strike?
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Never should have been any throws made. You said no outs when the catcher dropped the third strike. The batter cannot advance on a third strike unless there is nobody on or if there are two outs and first base is occupied.

To change your situation a little - if this would have happened with two outs and bases loaded then all the catcher needed to do was step on home since all runners are being forced to run.
Is there a rule violation when a batter runs to first on this play to bait a throw from catcher? Just wondering. I like the idea of teaching kids to run on any dropped third strike, but could this be protested?

Also in the case of it being two strikes, does the catcher actually have to touch the plate for the out. As you stated all runner are forced to proceed, but the batter can not if first is occupied. I gues he can run half way there and stand there until the catcher tags the plate.

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