Live Ball Appeal Questions

[dnorthen]

I recently encountered an issue during an appeal and need advice. This happened during a couple of recent Little League games:

The proper way, as I understand it, to execute an appeal of a runner missing a base is to have the pitcher standing on the rubber (while the ball is live) to properly step back off the rubber (thus becoming a fielder) and make it clear to the Umpire that an appeal is being made that the runner missed a base. The pitcher shall then throw the ball to a fielder that will either tag the runner in violation or touch the base missed. My questions are:

a. If multiple runners scored on a play and one of them missed 3rd, does it have to specified which runner they are claiming missed the base when the appeal is made? Does this omission cause an err on the appeal?

b. Since the ball is live during an appeal, can the runners advance at their own risk during the appeal? Since the appeal is not a play, by rule, I would say no - but the coaches objected to this judgement when I returned the runners.