[greymule]

Last year in a Fed softball game I called a girl out for missing third on a home run. Her team was way ahead, too. The girl was ecstatic, her parents were cheering, the other girls were all hugging her. But the defense appealed--what else could I do?

But a lesson might be drawn from another play: also last year, when Fed baseball still had their non-appeal appeal, a runner failed to touch home. I wasn't going to say anything, because his run made the score 7-1 in the top of the 5th. But I heard the defensive coach say, "Jimmy, appeal home." So since there were no appeals, I just called the runner out. I felt bad for the kid.

However, the final score of that game was 7-6, with the last out at home plate on an attempt at an inside-the-park home run. Ignoring the infraction could have changed the outcome, even though it didn't seem likely at the time.