FED Frosh game. R1 and a ball is hit up the middle and is gloved by the shortstop. He flips the ball to F4 who is on the left field side of second base. The ball, glove and the runner who has come into second base standing up all meet right on top of 2nd base. The runner reacher second at about the same time as the glove/ball did. Ball is jarred out of F4 glove.

Is this a FPSR violation?

[Edited by Kaliix on Apr 11th, 2005 at 12:38 PM]

First of all Kaliix, I hope F4 was playing second, because it a heck of a run for F5 to cover in time. (Typographical error?)

Without the book here, on a force play a runner must slide legally, in a direct line between bases. If the runner does not slide, they can not do anything to alter the play, which in your case did not happen. I have interference and two outs.

Well, I didn't call R1 out. I reasoned that 1) he was on the base (or got there at the same time) when the tag was applied and 2) he did not cause illegal contact as F4 was trying to tag him at about the same time he was reaching the base.

If he had slid, I likely would have called him safe (but I don't know for sure since he didn't and I'm having to determine this from memory). Is that kind of contact illegal, him getting to the base at the same time as the tag?

Now it is begining to sound more like F4 dropped the ball making the tag. As I already stated on a force the runner has to slide or avoid altering the play however, he is entitled to get to the bag. I guess this is one of those "had to be there" situations.