NFCA Rule

1. When an improper batter is discovered after she is out and before the next pitch, the proper batter is called out and is scored as if she was up. This does not affect credits of putouts or assists.

2. If an improper batter becomes a runner and then is discovered out of order, the proper batter is out and the putout is scored to the catcher.

3. If more than one batter bats out of turn in succession, score all play as it stands and skip the turn at bat of those who missed their turn.

In a recent game Team A started with 9 players. The leadoff batter for Team A had to leave after her first at bat. Team A continued to play with only 8 players. The next time the Team A leadoff batter (she has left the park) was supposed to bat the No. 2 batter in the lineup batted and reached first base. Team B realized the leadoff batter did not bat and told the Umpires that Team A batted out of order. The umpires called an out for batting out of order.

Question: Was it too late to call an out for batting out of order? The No. 2 batter had taken her turn at bat and was on first base when they called batting out of order.

That was the correct time, just like it states in rule 2 that you quoted. #2 batter was the first improper batter. Once she completed her at bat, the correct batter (lead-off) should have been called out. The #2 batter should have remained on 1B.

I agree with you after reading Rule 2 again. The #2 batter did remain on first and the out was called on the vacant lead-off spot. I had up to now thought that batting out of order had to be called while the improper batter was still at the plate. Thanks for your help.

There should have been an out called only when it was her turn to come to the dish. If there were two outs with bases loaded and she was the one to come to the plate, OUT! Switch innings...

Yes, but that was not done. It was done the third time the leadoff batter was to bat.

Team A obivously knew the batter was not there, and rather than report that to the umpire and take the certain out, they took a chance that team B wouldn't catch them. The 3rd time around it had been established that she was gone so the out was recorded when her at bat came up.