Baseball rules

[LennG]

 I was going to put this on the Baseball forum, but no one will see it, so I thought all you junior umpires out there might like something to tickle your knowledge bone.

I have had several very interesting situations this season. I only do High School baseball these days and my time working behind the plate has come to an end so I mostly work the bases.

If people are interested I'll post a few interesting situations that came up and see if anyone can make the correct call.

Yesterday game

Inning makes no difference.
Runner on 1st base, ONE out, batter has a 3-2 count on him.
Runner on 1st is off with the pitch. Batter swings at a ball in the dirt and misses. He starts running to 1st base.
The ball hits off the catcher's shin guard and goes into the dugout. The runner who was on 1st base was already around 2nd base when the ball went into the dugout.

Question
is the batter out or safe at 1st?
Where does the runner, who was on 1st, end up (scores, 3rd base, 2nd base, or back on 1st base)?
And if you have any explanation as to why you answered the way you did.

[Ed Vette]

Batter is safe at first because it's the catcher's responsibility to catch the ball and throw tue runner out at FB but it becomes a dead ball so the  base runner can only advance to Second Base. Now Base Runners at first and second.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Batter is safe at first because it's the catcher's responsibility to catch the ball and throw tue runner out at FB but it becomes a dead ball so the  base runner can only advance to Second Base. Now Base Runners at first and second.

I agree; however, if he had already stolen 2nd base, he would be awarded 3rd. Most likely though, he had yet to reach 2nd with the passed ball, so he'd probably be forced back to 2nd. Truth is, I don't know. I played baseball in H.S. and in college, and I know that I am always trying to figure out a rule when something happens that's out of the ordinary. Hell, even professional umps in MLB have to gather together to figure out a rule now and then

[Sem]

I have a question first. Where was the base runner at the point the third strike was mishandled by the catcher?