I need the hive-mind's analysis here. Full disclosure: I am the offense team's coach.
10u, ASA, 2 outs, R1 on 3B, leading off on the pitch, B2 hits a groundball to F5. R1 continues home, and F5 throws to F2, who has come out from behind home plate and is either just on the foul side of the third base foul line or straddling the line. Basically, she's in the right-handed batter's box. The throw arrives at almost the same moment or just before R1 arrives sliding into home. As F2 is catching the ball, she begins dropping down to make the tag and block the plate. While doing this, she drops the throw (never had control), and the runner slides into her as she's now blocking the plate. R1 now is trying to get up and reach around F2 to touch home but can't as F2 is pushing her in the other direction trying to pick up the ball (the ball is behind R1). F2 picks up the ball and tags R1 before she can touch home. Umpire declares R1 out. Conversation with umpire went as follows:
Me: Isn't that obstruction?
Umpire: What do you want the catcher to do? Disappear?
Me: I know she can't, but she also can't impede the progress of any runner without the ball. The moment she dropped the ball, and my runner slid into her, it became obstruction.
Umpire: But she can't just disappear.
Me: I know that, but now your penalizing my team for their error. As soon as she dropped the ball, it became obstruction. You can't impede the runner without the ball.
Umpire: What do you want me to do? Change my call?
Me: Yes!
Umpire: Well, I can't, I already made the call, I can't change it now.
Me: Fine, this game is being played under protest.
Would the protest be upheld?
10u, ASA, 2 outs, R1 on 3B, leading off on the pitch, B2 hits a groundball to F5. R1 continues home, and F5 throws to F2, who has come out from behind home plate and is either just on the foul side of the third base foul line or straddling the line. Basically, she's in the right-handed batter's box. The throw arrives at almost the same moment or just before R1 arrives sliding into home. As F2 is catching the ball, she begins dropping down to make the tag and block the plate. While doing this, she drops the throw (never had control), and the runner slides into her as she's now blocking the plate. R1 now is trying to get up and reach around F2 to touch home but can't as F2 is pushing her in the other direction trying to pick up the ball (the ball is behind R1). F2 picks up the ball and tags R1 before she can touch home. Umpire declares R1 out. Conversation with umpire went as follows:
Me: Isn't that obstruction?
Umpire: What do you want the catcher to do? Disappear?
Me: I know she can't, but she also can't impede the progress of any runner without the ball. The moment she dropped the ball, and my runner slid into her, it became obstruction.
Umpire: But she can't just disappear.
Me: I know that, but now your penalizing my team for their error. As soon as she dropped the ball, it became obstruction. You can't impede the runner without the ball.
Umpire: What do you want me to do? Change my call?
Me: Yes!
Umpire: Well, I can't, I already made the call, I can't change it now.
Me: Fine, this game is being played under protest.
Would the protest be upheld?