Rules Question on a force play

Question
In an ASA league, the bases were loaded with two outs.  Ground ball to short.  The runner on second stopped halfway and the shortstop went over to tag him for the third out.  Before the runner was tagged out the runner on third crossed the plate.  The umpire said the run counted because by tagging the runner instead of throwing to third the force out was not in effect.  Should the run count?

Answer
Hi Mark,

NO! NO! NO! and NO!!!!!  This is umpiring 101 and it beats me where people come up with these things.  Learning all the regular rules is difficult enough without making up your own.

FORCE OUT: Is an out which may be made only when a runner loses the right to the
base that the runner is occupying because the batter becomes a batter-runner,
and before the batter-runner or a trailing runner or has been put out.

No trailing runner of R2 or the b-r was put out so the force remains on R2. They must safely achieve 3rd in this situation for the run to score.

If this happens again bring out the "P" word plus you really should call the district UIC and tell them of this situation.  Really they would want to know in order to make sure this umpire gets more training.

Mark