[greymule]

ASA recognizes an accidental force, just not an accidental appeal. This is not an accidental force since the runner has already passed the plate.

As I remember, Fed (baseball) never did recognize an accidental appeal. (That is, if B1 hit a triple and missed 2B, and after the ball came in, F4 in possession of the ball stepped on 2B, this was NOT ipso facto an out on appeal.)

However, they apparently still recognize the accidental force play. That is, if a runner on 1B, advancing on a hit by BR, misses 2B on his way to 3B, then F4 could put him out, without an appeal to the umpire, by accidentally stepping on 2B. Similarly, if a BR beats out a grounder to 1B but misses the bag, he is automatically out even though the throw arrived late to F3. This is the accidental "force" play, which applies specifically when a runner has already passed the bag.

Since the play in the OP involved a force at home, I believe that Fed (baseball) would say it was an accidental force out. But as I said, I don't know whether this applies (or ever applied) to Fed softball.

Note: I see now that Dakota's post mentioned ASA, not Fed. Absolutely right. In ASA, once the runner passes the base, there can be no accidental appeal or force. Naturally, if the forced runner has not yet reached the base, then an "accidental" force play could occur if, say, the fielder in possession of the ball inadventently trips over the base.