From the PBUC:
"On a play at the plate, should the runner miss home plate and the fielder miss the tag on the runner, the umpire shall make no signal on the play."
For what it's worth, ASA softball instructs the umpire to hesitate and then make a safe signal. So there are different opinions on what's best to do.
I have always felt that saying nothing tips off the defense, so I usually make a safe sign and say, "No tag." Frankly, I don't see that making a safe signal announces that the runner has touched the plate, either. If F6 fields a ground ball and misses a swipe tag on a runner advancing to 3B, what's wrong with a safe signal to indicate a missed tag? (Of course, I admit that no signal also means a missed tag.)
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greymule
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