I just had an extremely long conversation with a well respected baseball and softball rules interpreter and author.
Here's what I confirmed/learned.
Check your 2004 ASA rule book, if you still have one laying around. ASA changed their interpretation of the definition of a force as it pertained to an appeal play. Another person already quoted it as follows: "On an appeal play, the force out is determined when the appeal is made, not when the infraction occurred."
Prior to 2004, that was not ASA's rule/interpretation.
Only ASA (among all softball codes) has adopted this definition/interpretation.
Consequently, in ASA, the run does score.
However, in all other codes, including NFHS and NCAA, the run does NOT score. They keep the "retroactive" force play.
I'm sure this will create some controversy, but that's the interpretation. MLB is currently discussing possibly changing their interpretation as well.
There are some case plays that illustrate why ASA has gone with this interpretation, but I'll leave them out for now.
Fire away
