Force Out Ruling

Question
This happened tonight at my son's PeeWee game.  I'll not say which side he was on...Top of the 1st, basses are loaded, batting team has one out.  The ball is grounded to the 2nd baseman who TAGS the runner going from 1st to 2nd and then tosses the ball to 1st base (also getting the batter out).  The base runner from 3rd crosses home plate before the runner is thrown out at 1st.  Does the base runner from 3rd to home count as a run or not?  This was a playoff game in which the batting team above lost 8-7.  As an interesting side note, the run was intially allowed to count and then taken away 2 innings later.  The batting team had an assistant coach that was a star for the Texas Rangers who argued his point (ultimately unsuccessfully) and the defensive coach seemed knowledgeable (and persuasive) in his opposing point...Just who is right here?

Answer
Michael,

Baseball rules state that a run can not count if the out is made as part of a force play.  In the situation you described, the run can't count even if the runner from third scored before the ball reached first.

If the hitter had made a turn at first (reached successfully) then was tagged out, the run would count if the runner touched home before the tag was made.

It sounds like the umpire ultimately got this one right.

Hope this helps!

Brian