Legal touching of home plate?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

Just as a matter of semantics...

You don't call the runner safe. Once the obstructed runner is tagged out prior to reaching their awarded base, you call a dead ball and make the award.

Why is this important? Well, if you just call "safe," the ball's still live when it shouldn't be.

You only kill the ball if, for some reason, the catcher proceeds to tag the runner - most of the time, this doesn't happen.

There's a lot more to this play that changes if you rule she didn't touch home and was obstructed. Consider the case where the throw doesn't beat her ... she's heading to the dugout, thinking she's safe. Play may proceed - and she might even make it completely to the dugout. You may have signalled obstruction and said it aloud. Are you going to make a point of pulling the player out of the dugout to touch home? How do you go about announcing your award without making it obvious you don't have her touching the plate.