deliberately dropped ball

Question
Hello the Dr.:)

Scenario (not positive if jurisdiction would have different rules but curious nonetheless)  

Mixed adult slopitch

Runners on 1st and 2nd.  Ball driven/batted straight to short-stop. (non fly)  Ball definitely catchable but driven down to feet instead for attempt at triple play.

Ump ruled batter out, and SS (sigh me) wrist slapped for unethical play:(

Didn't know the rule application and still question it.   Ethics for me generally resort to rule application.

Answer
Hi David,

yes different orgs have some different rules.

In ASA you must actually catch the ball (it can be a line drive, fly ball or bunt that can be caught w/ ordinary effort) then intentionally drop it.  If you simply guide the ball to the ground it is not an ITB.  I believe that 2nd part is where most other orgs differ, if you guide the ball to the ground in them you have an IDB.

If you're playing ASA the umpire is incorrect, most other orgs probably correct on the call, dead ball, batter is out, runners return.

I don't have a clue about "unethical play"  maybe some other org calls for a warning to the player (any umpire out there know about this).  In ASA I simply have a dead ball, etc for an IDB.  I'm not going to consider it USC if that's what they're getting at.

Mark