Walk off Home run Touch Requirements
Lynda Waller from Ontario, Canada asks:
We had a situation where we, being the home team, were down by 5 runs at the bottom of the 7th inning. To keep it simple, we scored 3 runs and then loaded the bases and our last batter up hit a grand slam home run giving us the win as we got 7 runs but only needed 5 to tie and 6 to win. My actual question is, since the batter that actually hit the home run's run does not count because we only needed 6 to win and she would be the 7th run, does she still have to run and touch all the bases to make the home run count or can she not run the bases since her run doesn't actually go on the score? The umpire at the game said that if the batter that hit the home run did not touch all of the bases including home plate then all of the runners that she batted in as a result of her grand slam home run would not count. Is this true?
There are multiple ways this situation can play out. First off, if the batter does decide to complete her trip around the bases for the home run, then the run would count and all in the runs, including the unnecessary 7th run, would score.
If there are less then two outs and the batter fails to touch all of the bases but the other runners all touch all the bases legally then the batter will be called out for failing to attempt to the next base but all the other runs will score.
In there are two outs and all the runs score before the batter stops rounding the bases, then all the runs will count but the batter will once again be out and the innning would be over.
If there are two outs and the batter stops rounding the bases before the runs score then the only runs that will count are the ones, if any, that scored before the batter failed to attempt to advance to the next base.
All in all, the best thing for the batter to do would be to make sure to touch all the bases on a home run.
Answered by: Jonathan Bravo
Keywords: Batter