Double First Base (ASA Rules)

[Toon Army]

The following occurred during a U-12 Girls Fastpitch game:

B1 hits ball down the line to F3. F3 has ball go off glove into foul territory. F3 recovers in time to grab ball in barehand and place ball in hand on the orange part of 1st base prior to B1 reaching the base. The umpire rules that B1 is safe due to F3 touching orange part of base and not the white part. The 2004 rule book has a section stating that on a play from foul territory that F3 may use the orange part of the base. Umpire rule that this would apply in the case of a dropped third strike and the throw coming from the catcher. If F3 reached across to the white part of the base then she would have created a safety issue with the runner, thus effectively negating the purpose of the double base.... The ruling had no effect on the outcome of the game. I am curious as to whether this was the correct call or not.