softball tagging up rule

Question
runner on second, short line drive hit to right center, runner on second leaves base under assumption the ball will not be caught, RCF charges in and touches and bobbles the ball before finally catching it. Runner on 2nd keeps going and does not return to tag. Umpire calls the out for the catch and also for the runner not tagging. Was this an accurate call by the umpire or should the runner have been able to keep running w/o tagging since the RCF touched the ball and bobbled before catching it?1

Answer
Hi David,

A runner can legally leave the base as soon as a defensive player 1st touches a ball that is going to be caught.

Just because a ball is bobbled does not relieve the runner of the responsibility of "tagging up".  Of course we need a proper appeal by the defense of r1 leaving too early and then we have the out.

mark