[tcannizzo]

As previously stated, perfectly legal and commonly seen until 14-U, and then it starts tailing off at 16-U and up, but sometimes even seen at HS and College levels.

Allow me to put my coaches hat back on for a moment and offer you a defense for this. Blues chime in, but don't dump on me for the coaching lesson.
[/ coach on]

On Ball 4 have F2 fire the ball back to F1.
BR should still be only half-way to 1B at this point.
Have F1 keep ball in throwing hand and put both hands down at her side.
At the same time, have her WALK towards the back edge of the circle.
And have F6 walk over to 2B.
BR should be rounding 1B at this point in time and now simply becomes R.
When R is about 12-15 feet from 2B have F1 fire ball to F6 and make a tag or get R in rundown.

Now, this is usually done when there is R on 3B. Why? because on a play at 2B, R1 will easily score. Offense is glad to trade an out for a run. And this is where it becomes tricky for the defense.

Now, let's reset this with proper identification of runners. The runner closest to home is called R1, so you have R1 on 3B and the BR becomes R2 after rounding 1B.

When R2 is about 12-15 feet from 2B, F1 fires to F6.
However, F6 does not care at all about R2. And in fact, she should take the throw while she is stepping towards F1 and then fires to F2, which (even at 10-U) will allow for an easy out at home. Why? this reduces the distance that F6 has to get the ball to F2 ahead of the runner. And by moving F1 to the back of the circle reduces the distance of the throw to F6.

But the play is not over yet, because coach will bring R2 over to 3B on the throw home, so instruct F2 to make the tag and immediately fire to F5 who is covering 3B and you should have a picture perfect double play.

Keys to practice that require discipline:
a.) F1 must keep a cool head and
> keep hands at her side
> not to rush to the back of the circle
> not release the ball too soon
b.) F6 must remember that R2 is not who she is trying to get out
c.) F2 must remember to get rid of the ball immediately after applying tag
d.) have F9 backing up the throw to F6
e.) have F8 backing up the throw to F5

Now your are playing good softball.
[/ coach off]