Out without appeal

[MT 73]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

The following play is the reason I bring it up.

https://youtu.be/g_V63kyO37I

A couple problems here with the way it was handled.

If you watch the celebration, the OC does physically direct her back to the plate (0:27). There's no other reason for her to reverse her direction.

That should have been the out (based on your response, Mike).

The tag that F2 put on the BR was with a new game ball the PU gave her (not a valid DB appeal and should have been ignored), HOWEVER,

after F2 makes the tag (and PU properly disallows the appeal), the next logical thing would've been "but blue, she missed the plate!", which WOULD be a proper DB appeal.

Except, in the 1.2 seconds it would take to say that, BR may have made it back to the plate.

That was a college game played under NCAA and it led to a lot of confusion.
NCAA itself chimed in with some half baked response ( in order for the appeal to be granted with a new ball shouldn't the ball first be made live??) and stated that once ball was given to the catcher the appeal was valid.
Which led to even more confusion such as can a runner be called out on an assist when the ball is dead???
And is just handing a new ball to the defense enough to allow an appeal??
Not is baseball and I am pretty sure not in USA softball either.
( The case play listed in the USA rulebook deals with a live ball situation)
So--look for a rule change next year, at least in NCAA.