[greymule]

Since OBS wasn't mentioned in the original situation, I'll assume that's not the issue.

The runner legally avoided the swipe tag. Then, after having passed the catcher, she moved out of the baseline, but not to avoid a tag. No violation. At this point, the catcher attempted to apply the tag, the runner's base path had become from where she was to home plate. Apparently, with F2 chasing her, she did not leave that basepath to avoid a tag, so she's safe.

Now if after missing the swipe tag the catcher immediately pursued the runner and then the runner's momentum carried her out of the base path and thus away from a tag, that's another story. But from the description, I don't think that's what happened here.

I've heard "the worst call I ever saw" and "the worst ump I ever saw" many times, and so has every ump I know.

In terms of base path calls, I've seen everything, including: Runner rounds 3B with a wide turn and stops halfway home, about 6 feet on the foul side, when he sees F2 catch the throw at the plate. F2 starts to chase the runner back to 3B but does not get within 20 feet of him as the runner retreats to 3B. Ump calls out for base path violation.