Obstruction at First Base: Where's the Protection?

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Batter bunts the ball toward F1. F1 fields and throws to F3, but the throw is wide, pulling F3 into the BR's path, and F3 cannot catch the ball. The BR collides with F3 just in front of the orange bag, and falls beyond the bag about ten feet or so. BU throws out the left arm for the Obstruction call. F9, backing up the play at first, fields the errant throw.

While the BR is getting up, she hears her first base coach tell her to go to second. The BR starts heading that way, but then turns back toward first when she sees F9 with the ball. F9 throws to F3, and the BR is tagged before she reaches the bag on the headfirst slide back.

Is the BR protected between first and second due to the Obstruction at first base? Or was she only protected at first, and she lost that protection when she made her move toward second?

To me this is a HTBT situation. Based on the description, I don't see this as a sure thing that the runner would have made it to second barring the obstruction, therefore I have him/her only protected to first base. When she choose to go towards second she has now gone by the base she was protected to. Again, this is a HTBT situation though.