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Hmm,
After reading the OP and the additions I would be highly suspect that there was Malicious Contact on this play.
Don't get me wrong -- I can see that there could be an ejection in this situation but it is highly questionable if it would be for MC.
When "we" (and yes, I was a part in writing the MC definition for the NFHS) wrote the rule we knew it would be "primarily" an offensive infraction. We also understood that, in a rare case, it could also cover a defensive player.
In the small percentage of defensive MC calls I am not sure that we considered "a fake tag" as malicious. While it is true that a very hard fake tag could lead to ejection it would not be for Malicious Contact it would be simply for an unsportsmanlike activity.
In closing, the protection and awarding of bases based on a fake tag "can be" subjective but the NFHS Rules Committee would like there to be severe penalities for the action (especially if the fake tag leads to an unneeded slide by a runner).
Regards,
T
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