Just saw a play and wanted some reassurance.I was watching a fed game the other day and a runner was in between second and third when a throw from right field sailed into the third base dougout opening.The umpire stopped the runner at third and the coach came out and quickly returned seemingly happy with the call.Am I wrong but shouldn't the runner get home according to 5-1-1g?

Well, maybe it was the correct award in this case. Was the runner between 1B and 2B when the throw left the fielder's hand? If so, the fact that he had made it around 2B when the ball actually went out of play is irrelevant. I've seen runners SCORE before the ball went out of play and then have to go back to 3B--because of where they were at the time of the throw.

I'd have to say that this (overthrow) rule
is the most misunderstood or misconstrued
"ordinary" rule in the book. Over the 20
or so years that I've been playing organized
softball, it has been botched up more times
(by players AND umpires alike) than any other
common occuring rule and I just don't understand
why. It SHOULD be quite simple; 2 bases ALWAYS
on an overthrown, out of play/blocked ball,
from the last established base, at the
the point of the release, regardless of
which FIELDER (infielder or outfielder)threw
it, or which direction the runner is running
(returning to a base) or when the ball goes
out of play. It amazes me when it does occur
how many people start saying "1 base from the
infield/ 2 from the outfield" or "the base
your going to + 1" (which doesn't work when
you're returning to a base on a fly ball) or
being awarded 2 bases from WHEN it goes
out of play. I've had so many "discussions"
with umpires and players over this that I carry
a rulebook with me with the rule HIGHLIGHTED
and marked for quick access. Sorry for the
rant, but this has been in my craw for quite
some time and I figured this was my opportunity
to vent to the "softball world." Thanks, I feel
better now.