Does making a play on a safe batter at first remove the force at two?

[Goobie]

Base runner on first base no outs. Batter bunts, pops up near first base but the ball falls fair. The base runner was hanging out by first base expecting the catch... But then takes of for second. First base fields the ball and makes an attempt on the batter going to first base (first base player throws to second base player at first base) but the batter beats the throw (ruled safe). The ball is then thrown to second base beating the base runner however the defense did not tag the base runner.

Field ump originally ruled batter safe at first and base runner safe at second (no tag). Defensive coach argued base runner should be out due to it being a force (since batter was safe at first). Offensive coach then argued that since a play was made on the batter at first the "force" was off regardless of the fact that the batter was safe.

Who was right?

 

[BretMan]

It's still a force out at second.

One way to look at it: Which base could this runner retreat back to? Certainly not first, because it's already occupied. Until the batter-runner is put out, this runner is forced to second.

This meets every definition of a force out. To say it doesn't just because there was an attempted play at first is silly.

 

[Eric F]

Force at second. Definitely.