Expert: Rick Bundy - 7/27/2010

Question
A runner from first base rounds second when the fly ball is caught in the out field. The runner is returning to first when the ball is thrown into the first base dugout. My question is does the runner have to return to first before being awarded second base? If he does not have to return to first prior to going to second please show me the rule because I can't find it anywhere. Thank you for your help with this.

Answer
Trent:  Thank you for your question.

The runner does have to return to first before being awarded second base.  Since the live ball was thrown from the field, it becomes dead when it enters the dugout.

The award is two bases; but the runner has to complete his base running responsibility, which in this case is to return and retouch the base he left too soon, before he can be declared safe, or out.

Out cannot happen once the ball becomes dead, unless the runner never retouches first.  As soon as he retouches, the umpire should award two bases.

If the runner misses any base ( including home plate) or leaves a base too early and desires to return to touch the base, he must do so immediately.

If the ball becomes dead, and the runner is on or beyond the succeeding base, he cannot return to the missed base and therefore is subject to being declared out upon proper and successful appeal.

This would be applicable if the runner in your question was on or beyond second base when the ball became dead by going into the dugout.  This is a Rule 8-2 Article 5.

Yours in baseball,

Rick