Ruling please

[oppool]

SIT: R1 on 1st no outs B2 hits big fly ball to center R1 stays put on 1st for tag-up and run if caught B2 rounds 1st while ball is still in air and passes R1 on the bag


Questions: When is B2 declared out and if the ball is not caught does B2 passing R1 take the force out of the play?


Just wondering

Don

[Roger Greene]

Don,
B1 is out the moment she passes R1. The ball remains alive, and if not caught in flight, there is no force at second due to the fact that a preceeding runner has been declared out.

I had this play in a Middle School Softball game last year. Mass confusion despite the fact that I loudly called BR out the moment she passed R1 , and repeated the out call a second time as both runners approached second, still in reverse order. Finally the defense cornered the runners on 3rd, and I killed the play and sent the BR back to the dugout. As soon as my partner stopped rolling around in the dirt near home plate laughing, we were able to restart the game.

Roger Greene,
Member UT