LL Rules - appealing an out at home plate

[Frank Drebin]

A third out is called on a slide at the plate by the home plate umpire. The throw from right field to the plate was up the line a bit. The catcher brought the ball down in his glove, dropped to his knees and leaned over in one motion and tagged the runner out in front of the plate with both hands on his glove. It was a close play, but the runner was correctly called out. It appeared that he did not quite reach the plate.

All of the players leave the field, meanwhile the third base coach walks toward his dugout and begins conferring with his other coaches. They then call the home plate umpire over to their dugout. As they are talking Team A begins getting ready to take the field and team B is preparing to bat in the top of the 6th holding on to a 3-2 lead in a loser out game. Team A informs the umpire that they want to appeal the (judgement) call at home by saying the catcher obstructed the runner.

As team A's players are leaving the dugout and taking the field to assume fielding positions an argument begins in front of Team A's dugout. One of Team A's coaches now begins yelling to the baserunner who wound up at first base on the third out play to go back out first base. The player runs out of the dugout without a helmet toward second. By this time Team B's coach is telling his player to tag the player that was running out toward second base. He does not tag the player. A different player runs out to second with a helmet. Everyone is rather confused, especially the kids. As the argument heats up the field umpire is called in and the discussion continues and the home plate umpire, after briefly discussing the matter, rules 'Catcher Obstruction', the run counts and orders Team B back onto the field and Team A back in their dugout to continue the inning.

Questions:
1. Can a safe/out call at the plate be appealed even though it is a judgement call?
2. If so, what is the procedure?

The umpire definitley lost control of the game/situation and the scene that ensued was an ugly one with kids running in and out of dugouts, coaches, players, parents and fans visibly upset. The play was your garden variety close play at the plate. The Tournament Director was at a lost, as it appeared he did not know the rule.

Epilogue:
Team B came back out and retired the last batter on two pitches, tallied one run in the top of the 6th to go up 4-3 and then retired the side on 7 pitches to close the door.