Runner on first. Fly ball to center field. Runner runs to second and touches the base, but then she retreats to first base, thinking the ball will be caught by the center fielder. The center fielder does not catch the ball. When the runner realizes the ball has not been caught, she is almost back to first base (within 5-10 feet). She then runs directly to third base across the middle of the infield. The defensive team attempts to throw her out at third, but the ump calls her safe. During the ensuing argument, the ump claims that the runner touched second base and may therefore proceed to third base. I believe she was out of the base path when the defense tried to make a play on her (throwing her out at third), and therefore she should have been out. What do you think?
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Softball Junkie, I agree with you, but there is something I cannot get out of my head... The runner did touch the bases in legal order: first base, then second base, then third base. Are you saying that she must retouch second base because she ran backwards toward first -- even though she never actually reached first base?
I found a rule that states the following: a runner may run out of the base path as long as the defensive team does not make a play on her (e.g., trying to tag the runner). Does this mean a runner can run anywhere as long as a play is not made on her? This seems crazy.
I found a rule that states the following: a runner may run out of the base path as long as the defensive team does not make a play on her (e.g., trying to tag the runner). Does this mean a runner can run anywhere as long as a play is not made on her? This seems crazy.
Once the runner touched second and then retreated back toward 1st, they reinstated the force at 2nd and made it essentially as if they had never touched 2nd in the first place. In order to advance to 3rd legally the runner must touch the bases in legal order, including 2nd since they retreated from it reinstuting the force play.
Basepath has nothing to do with this play as the runner was not attempting to avoid a tag.
Basepath has nothing to do with this play as the runner was not attempting to avoid a tag.
- Jun 22, 2008
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Did the runner pass 2B or do an about face as she touched the base or did she take a step pass or to the left of the base?
And, as noted, there is no base path violation here.
From reading the OP, I have R1 who has failed to touch 2B on her way to 3B (she re-instituted the force at 2B when she retreated to 1B). Although not specifically stated in the OP, I don't see a proper appeal of a missed base by the defense and as soon as the next pitch is made, no subsequent appeal can be made. Instead, they are appealing her baseline. Continuing with what is written in the OP, it doesn't appear she ran in that basepath to avoid a tag, and thus she is not in violation of that rule. However, if before the next pitch is made, the defense signals that they are appealing that R1 missed 2B and execute the appeal correctly, then R1 will be declared out.
- Jun 22, 2008
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You need to reread the OP. It clearly states that R1 touches 2nd. But I believe everything relies on the first step coming off of 2B. That would make it easier for the umpire to determine R1's intent, but it still comes down to the umpire judging whether the players was or was not running the bases in a reverse order.
You are correct that the runner can take any path, but when action or purpose is questionable, that leaves it up to the umpire's judgment.
- May 30, 2011
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That is exactly what it means. This is a very minunderstood rule in softball.. as soon as a runner seems to be in an "unusual" place you will hear cries of "She's out of the base line, blue!"
Of course "Base line" means nothing.. but "base path" does.. however the "base path" is not established until the defense is attempting to tag the runner off of a base. In the example of the runner who makes the unwise decision to run from 1B directly to 3B..say she is three fourths of the way across the diamond in a direct line from 1B to 3B when F5 gets the ball and tries to tag her. The base path is established at that time as a direct line from the runner to the base plus three feet on either side. The runner would now need to run outside of that established base path in an effort to avoid the tag to be declared out.
However, as stated, the defense having somehow missed the tag could still appeal that the runner failed to touch 2B again on her way from 1B to 3B.
- Jun 22, 2008
- 3,438
- 48
They better not. To start, this is not an legal appeal and second, it is an automatic call. If the umpire did not make the call initially, probably shouldn't do it after the fact.
