I've changed my mind on this. I don't think it's an appeal.
I just think the FED takes the force-out wording seriously and strictly -- if the base is touched before the runner touches the base, the runner is out (and, yes, I'm paraphrasing, so don't pick apart the sentence).
In the specific instance you mentioned, though, it's no longer a force play. Notice that the "play" (Fed definition -- TOP to dead ball or ball back to F1) is over. That's how I'm justifying not calling the out on this play.
