girsl fastpitch sofball

Question
I read an answer of yours from 7-14-06 about runner on first, running on hit ball to outfield. Runner is between second and third when ball is legally caught in outfield. The ball is then thrown out of play towards first to get the runner who had not tagged up. You stated that the runner got home on the out of play throw, because the last legal touched base was second. My question is, legally she cannot leave until ball is touched, yes?...so how can second be her last legal touched base. She has to go back tag at first and would get only third? This is bugging me big time. thanks

Answer
Hi Jan,

You are correct in what I said, the runner is awarded home.

Runners are always awarded 2 bases from the last base touched at the time of the throw.

In this case the runner was between 2nd and 3rd at the time of the throw.  She was legally advancing on a batted ball in flight, had touched and rounded 2nd when the ball was caught and thrown. (up and until the ball was caught all we had was a batted ball in flight) Now another rule comes into effect that she must retouch her original base and must by rule retouch the bases in reverse order.  The fact that the ball was caught does not change the fact that she legally touched 2nd (and must retouch it on her way back to 1st) and 2nd was the last base touched at the time of the throw.

The fact that the last base she legally occupied was 1st doesn't change anything here. Just because it was her original base doesn't make it the last base touched.

Now (in order to be awarded 3rd) if on the catch she retreated and touched 2nd and was between 2nd and 1st when the throw was made, the award would be 3rd because 1st was the last base touched. On this play think of 2nd as if you had a force play at 2nd on a runner and they touch 2nd but retreat back toward 1st, by rule the force is back in effect and we do not consider them to have legally touched 2nd, hence 1st would be the last base touched.

OK?

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