Error or HR

I would go with you in that it's a normal routine out (or should be). I've never bought into the "it never touched the glove" defense. If that was the case then a ball going through a short stop's legs would never be counted as an error.

You are correct, and he is guilty of a common misconception.

But a fielder is often given the benefit of the doubt when the ball does not draw leather if, e.g., you had high winds or difficult sun situation.

P.S.

If you want to have some fun, ask the pitcher's dad what he thinks. Then let him and batter's dad duke it out!

I am not an expert at this but have been doing HS scorekeeping for the past two years. I always go to the ordinary effort definition. (below) Hitting the glove is meaningless IMO. If an outfielder gets a great jump and makes a dive and the ball hits his glove...so what, a great play almost made, but it is a base hit. FWIW I do tend to have more questions on plays in the outfield. IE if an outfielder gets a bad jump on a ball and it falls in for a hit then it is a hit. (I hate this being a pitchers dad..) Now if he is tracking it and then misjudges it and it falls around him - glove or no glove I will give it an error. The other problem area I have is with flairs and you may have three fielders converging on a ball. If they all pull up at the last minute and if falls in then generally it is a trouble ball and I give it a hit. There are times when they are standing around and it is a clear E, but I have trouble in who to assign it to, generally I give it to the outfielder since he should have been in control of the play.

I always discuss questionable calls with others and we come to a joint decision. If the play involves your kid then you are automatically excused. This gives our books some credibility. If there is a really questionable call I will ask the coach after the game.

That said this is not little league and I have actually never seen an inside the park HR in HS. I have seen aggressive outfielders dive for balls and make a single a triple however.

I drifted all over with this reply, but if you really want to get an answer ask the coach and take the decision out of your hands.

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ORDINARY EFFORT is the effort that a fielder of average skill at a position in that league or classification of leagues should exhibit on a play, with due consideration given to the condition of the field and weather conditions.
Rule 2.00 (Ordinary Effort) Comment: This standard, called for several times in the Official Scoring Rules (e.g., Rules 10.05(a)(3), 10.05(a)(4), 10.05(a)(6), 10.05(b)(3) (Base Hits); 10.08(b) (Sacrifices); 10.12(a)(1) Comment, 10.12(d)(2) (Errors); and 10.13(a), 10.13(b) (Wild Pitches and Passed Balls)) and in the Official Baseball Rules (e.g., Rule 2.00 (Infield Fly)), is an objective standard in regard to any particular fielder. In other words, even if a fielder makes his best effort, if that effort falls short of what an average fielder at that position in that league would have made in a situation, the official scorer should charge that fielder with an error.

If you scored Error, I'll agree with you, but had to be there...

My son gave up a grand slam last year on a play where CF charged hard in, dove, ball drops just in front and then bounces over and rolls to the fence. Hard to watch, but HR & 4 RBI.

Consider sun, wind and other factors, but if he miss-played the ball that should've been caught with ordinary effort, its an Error. Doesn't matter who's glove didn't touch what.

At least the kid who got his glove on it got close enough to get his glove on it.

BOF, it may have been ranbling but in the end, I scored it-