dropped third strike

In baseball, a "dropped third strike" occurs when a batter swings and misses for their third strike, or the umpire calls a third strike, and the catcher fails to catch the ball before it hits the ground. If there are fewer than two outs and first base is occupied, or if there are two outs regardless of runners on base, the batter can attempt to run to first base. The catcher must then retrieve the ball and throw it to first base before the batter reaches it to record an out. If the catcher fails to do so, the batter safely reaches first base, similar to hitting the ball in fair territory. A strikeout, which is the result of accumulating three strikes, is an out in baseball.12