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Baseball Instruction/Force Out Discrepancy Involving a Tag

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Expert: - 5/26/2010


Question
We were on defense and had bases loaded, 1 out.  I was on third, fielded a grounder to me.  The runner on third stayed put, holding his foot on 3rd.  Instead of throwing him out for the force at home, I tagged him while his foot was still on the base, then tagged 3rd base to force out the runner coming from 2nd.  Was it the correct call of the umpires to call both runners out?  I said yes, but the other team was adamant about it being the wrong call...

Also, had I of tagged the base, and then tagged the runner, would it have been the same result??

Thanks a ton!

mike

Answer
I would have to say that the umpires got it wrong. Once the fielder caught the ground ball the runner has a right to third base. If he is tagged out while on his base he cannot be out. With one out the play should have been third to first or home to first for that very reason.  

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