Batted Ball Leaves Play


 
During the pre-game conference, both coaches and both umpires note that there is a tarp and some equipment stationed deep (well over 450 feet away) in center field. All agree that in the unlikely event that a batted ball rolls into the tarp/equipment, the center fielder should throw his hands in the air. If the umpires determine that the ball is truly lodged in that equipment, the umpire will call "time" and place the runners.
 
Sure enough, with R1 on first base, B1 hits a long shot well over the center fielder's head. The ball slowly rolls right into the middle of the tarp/equipment and is lodged. When the center fielder raises his hands to indicate the ball is lodged, R1 has easily scored and B1 is within several feet of 3rd base. Where do the umpires place R1 and B1?
 
Call
From the pre-game conference, it is clear that the area in deep center field was declared out-of-play. At the pre-game conference, the umpires do not have to review all the potential out-of-play base awards in order to enforce the 29 base awards outlined in the NF Base Running Awards Table. The award for a fair batted ball going out of play is two bases (determined from the base occupied at the time of the pitch).
 
In this case, R1 is placed at 3rd base and the batter is placed at 2nd base. 
 
While many that responded thought it would be fair to award more bases, there are no ground rule triples or ground rule home runs.