Question about Softball Rules

[Mendy]

In our softball game this morning, there were men on first and third with two outs. The batter hit a grounder to the second baseman, who flipped the ball to the shortstop, who dropped the ball allowing the runner from first to reach second base before the shortstop recovered the ball. But the runner from first overran second base and was then tagged out by the shortstop before he could return to second for the third out.

In the meantime, the runner from third base had already crossed home plate before the runner was tagged out at seconde.

The umpire said that the run did not count. The batting team argued that, after the runner had safely reached second base, the third out was not a "force out" and the run should have counted. The umpire was adamant that he was correct.

What is the true answer? Should the run have counted or not?

 

[CoogansBluff]

Run counts.

Once the runner from first arrives to second safely, there is no longer a force.

(This assumes that the runner going to second did touch second base before overrunning it. If the runner missed second base, then the force remains in effect.)

 

[Mendy]

Thank you, CoogansBluff. The runner did touch second base before overrunning. I read something in the softball rules on another website about an appeal play being an exception wherein the run would not count. Is this an appeal play? (Frankly, I'm not sure what an appeal play is other than maybe when a runner leaves a base too soon on a fly ball and the other team appeals to the umpire.)

 

[CoogansBluff]

Keep in mind that I'm not an umpire and answered only because it was a fairly simple rule, so someone might have a better idea here, but here goes ...

If this happened in a game, the coach should ask the umpire for an explanation for the call. Believing that the umpire is not correctly applying the rules, the coach can ask the ump to confer with the other ump. If the call stands, the coach can protest the game based on a misapplication of a rule. That protest must be made then and there. Can't wait until after the game, or after another pitch has been made.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

Thank you, CoogansBluff. The runner did touch second base before overrunning. I read something in the softball rules on another website about an appeal play being an exception wherein the run would not count. Is this an appeal play? (Frankly, I'm not sure what an appeal play is other than maybe when a runner leaves a base too soon on a fly ball and the other team appeals to the umpire. Yes, that is one kind.)

Missing a base is also appealed. If a runner misses a base where a force play was possible, the appeal is treated as a force out.