[greymule]

"without liability to be put out" does not mean "without liability to be declared out"

NCAA uses similar language, so I would presume it also does not consider the entitlement to advance to be an award.

I think that runners are indeed "awarded" bases to which they are forced when the batter is awarded a base on balls.

Example in FP: R1 on 2B, R2 on 1B, 1 out. R2 runs on the 3-2 pitch, but R1 misses the sign and does not run. Ball 4 to batter. R2 rounds 2B and passes R1. R2 is declared out. R1, however, still goes to 3B even though she is no longer forced and the ball is live. Thus, this is an award.

Example in FP: Bases loaded, 1 out. Ball 4 to batter. Batter runs directly into the dugout and is declared out. The other 3 runners are no longer forced, but they still advance to the bases they were awarded.

I had an illustrative play a few years ago:

R1 on 3B, R2 on 2B, 1 out. B3 hits a liner down the LF line, not too deep. R1 takes a few steps toward home, and R2 tags at 2B. F7 makes a nice catch and quickly fires the ball to F5 in an attempt to get the returning R1. As R1 returns to 3B, he covers his head with his arms to defend himself from the hard throw. The throw gets away and goes into the dugout. I (BU) award both runners home. R2, seeing the ball go into DBT and unaware that R1 is still on 3B asking what happened, passes R1.

Both R1 and R2 were permitted to advance to home without liability to be put out. However, R2 was declared out for the third out, so R1 cannot score, even though he had been awarded home.