This is a posting poached from the NFHS board. I though it might be interesting to discuss...

Bottom of the 7th. Bases loaded. One out.

The score is home 0, visitors 1.

B4 hits a line drive to the gap in left center. R1 goes home from 3rd, R2 goes home via 3rd but misses the base at 3rd. R3 arrives at 2nd as the ball arrives in the infield to F6.

R3 sees R2 touch home. Thinking her team has won the game 2 to 1, runs off of 2nd base towards her team's dugout and F6 tags her out while she is off base.(out #2).

F5 takes the ball from F6, tells the BU she is appealing R2 missing 3rd base as she is standing on 3rd. The BU now calls R2 out.(out #3).

The Visitor's coach now thinks the score is a 1 to 1 tie.

Now the PU informs both coaches that NO runs can score on the play and that the Visitors have won the game 1 to nothing.

Comments?

I agree with the visitor's coach; score is tied 1-1. When the second out was made at 2B, that removed the force on R2. As we know, appeal plays are timing plays; despite the fact R2 was forced when she missed 2B, it was no longer a force when the appeal was made. Sorry, PU, I believe you erred; the lead run scored.

Long post, well put, but I got 1-1

The runner failed to touch a base to which was forced. If there were already two outs the runner on third would not score, since the second out was the batter-runner being tagged at second base and the third was on appeal the runner on third can score but no one after her can or did(legally). Score tied 1-1.

In baseball (OBR, Fed, NCAA), the out at 3B would be considered a force (for differing reasons).

In ASA, if a following runner is put out, all forces on preceding runners are off. So this out at 3B would not be a force.

I don't know whether Fed softball follows ASA in this.

What Dakota did not bring in was that a poster on the NFHS board stated that R3 was put out after achieving 2B; therefore R2 was still forced to 3B. Thus run does not count.

What say you?

WMB

<b>R3 was put out after achieving 2B; therefore R2 was still forced to 3B</b>

At the time of the appeal, R3 was out. Therefore, no force at 3B. In fact, R3 could have been thrown out at home, there would still be no force at 3B.

There's even an ASA case play to cover it: Abel on 3B, Baker on 1B, 1 out. Charles lines a hit to right. Abel scores, Baker misses 2B and goes to 3B. Charles touches 1B but is thrown out at 2B. The defense appeals Baker's miss of 2B. Baker is out on appeal, but it's not a force play (even though Baker was put out after touching 1B). Abel's run counts.

But this is ASA. I have no idea how NFHS would rule.

Doesn't make any difference. Once the following runner is retired, that means the preceding runner is not forced. That is easy to determine just by looking at the bases to which the runner can advance and not be called out.

If the runner can return to what is now an unoccupied base, then there is no force.