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Scott,
Even after reading your comments and other good arguments for an out call I still think the right call is safe. I base this on the USSSA rule of control of the ball. In this case there is not enough time to show clear evidence of the ball being in control. If anything it shows the ball was not firmly in control, or it wouldn't have been knocked loose in a split second after the tag. I know in an open field tag where the ball drops out of the glove the rule is safe. It's ruled safe because the ball was dropped upon contact. We have no proof that the ball would not have been dropped... even if the glove was not hit by the runners knee.
In the case where the ball is loosed from a glove (before control can be shown) because another part of a runners body immediately hit the glove I do not see firm control of the ball, and would not call a runner out. The runner commited no infraction by intentionally hitting of the catchers glove. I think we have a case of judging what constitutes control when there is no time to see it proven. I was a catcher from little league through high school and remember how important it was to control the ball when getting smashed at the plate. There were times I dropped the ball, and every single one of those times (no matter if I touched the runner once or twice before the ball fell out of my glove the runner was called safe. The call was made cause there was no proof of control.
Must hurry out the door.
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