Fly ball bobbled by player and caught by another on tag up

[Softball scholar]

We had a weird call in our game the other night. We have a runner on 1st. Batter hits fly ball to 1st baseman. She bobbles the ball and drops it but the 2nd baseman was close to her and caught the ball. The ball did not hit the ground and batter is called out. But also the runner on 1st took a couple steps off the base runs to second when ball is bobbled by 1st baseman, she takes off to second. The second baseman runs to first expecting double play, but the umpire calls the runner at safe because the 1st fielder dropped. I was very surprised by this ruling. Did this ump make the right call or was he smoking something?

confused

 

[Comocoach]

Batter may leave the base when the ball is first touched by a fielder.

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[CoogansBluff]

Batter may leave the base when the ball is first touched by a fielder.

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Correct.

So, hypothetically, there could be a line drive off the shortstop's glove that is caught by the left fielder. The runner may tag up at the moment the ball strikes the shortstop's glove.

 

[smddad]

Sounds like blue got the call correct. A runner may leave the bag as soon as the ball is first touched by a fielder.

 

[29dad]

Umpire blew the call, assuming the base runner never returned to the bag. Actually we need more information. Where was the base runner when the ball touched first baseman's glove??

 

[Amy in AZ.]

The call sounds correct to me.

 

[djcarter1966]

The assumption is since you said fly ball is the base runner went back to the base, if that is the case you can apply the first fielder to touch it rule. Now if she took a lead and kept the lead two or three steps off and then ran to 2B that is not acceptable since she never went back to the base.

 

[MTR]

Umpire blew the call, assuming the base runner never returned to the bag. Actually we need more information. Where was the base runner when the ball touched first baseman's glove??

Looks like the umpire got the call correct. OP states runner on 1st took a couple steps off the base runs to second when ball is bobbled by 1st baseman. If the runner didn't leave the base until F3 touched the ball, and that is how I read the previous statement, she has met the requirements of a base-runner on a caught fly ball.

Now, if I am not reading this correctly, you would be correct, the runner could be ruled out on the proper appeal.

 

[sluggers]

If the runner left the base *before* it was touched by F3, then she had to return to the base before she went to the next base.

If the runner left the base *after* it was touched by F3, then she did not have to return to the base after it was caught by F4.

 

[Cobb_of_Fury]

it's not the catch but rather touching the ball that releases the baserunner - otherwise the outfielder could just juggle the ball all the way in and the runner could never leave the bag.