deflected line drive and tagging up

Question
Runner on second base leaves to advance to third when the batter made contact. The hit is a line drive at the 3rd baseman which deflects off his glove to the shortstop who catches it in the air for the out. I understand that the runner can advance once initial contact is made by the fielder, but he left the base when the batter made contact and not the fielder. Is the runner okay to still advance even tho he left the base before the initial contact by the fielder? I think that the runner would be okay to continue advancing at his own risk since the ball wasn't caught on initial contact by the fielder?

Following is the reason:

You know Tommy, I just don't know for sure.  I'm sorry.  If I was umpin' that game I would have called the runner out since they left before initial contact was made, but I recommend you run this question by Frank Ambrose here on allexperts, he is the rules guru and will know for certain.


Answer
HI Tommy,

Actually Frank Ambrose is my long dead uncle.

The answer is no, they cannot advance without being liable for an appeal out of a base left too early.

As you stated they can leave as soon as F5 touched the ball but the fact that F5 deflected the ball to F6 who legally caught the ball doesn't mean R1 doesn't have to tag up.

"I think that the runner would be okay to continue advancing at his own risk since the ball wasn't caught on initial contact by the fielder?"

Sorry...there is no such rule.

Here's the rule you want 8-7-F. The runner is out..... When the runner leaves a base to advance to another base before a caught fly ball has touched a fielder, providing the ball is returned to an infielder and properly appealed.  Seems to fit your exact play.

Mark