runners scoring out of order

[John Robertson]

Note to everyone: Thanks for all your input with various questions I've had so far. I appreciate your time.

Here's another play that happened years ago in a game umpired by a colleague of mine.

Runners on second and third with two out. ("Alex" is the on third and "Bobby" is the runner on second.) Batter hits a single to center field. Alex misses home plate but remains nearby to wave Bobby home. Bobby touches the plate. Teammates from the bench start yelling at Alex to go back and touch the plate. He does.

The catcher gets the ball, touches home plate, and appeals to the umpire that Alex missed home. The umpire agrees. He rules that Alex cannot return and touch home after a following teammate has scored. Alex is out. Three outs. No runs score.

Was this the correct call?

[orangeump]

yes, that is correct. thanks.

[Skahtboi]

Correct in every code that I know of.

[celebur]

Also correct under Softball Canada as per rule 8-4f:

No runner may return to touch a missed base or one left illegally, after a following runner has scored, or he leaves the field of play.

[John Robertson]

Thanks for confiming what I thought was a correct call.

According to my umpiring colleague, the catcher said afterward that he had no idea that Alex had missed home plate until Alex's teammates shouted at him to go back and touch it. In other words, there would have been no appeal--and two runs would have scored--had the offensive team kept quiet.

Smart catcher, I'd say.