Force out

by Chris Schrock
(Lebanon, tn)

Chris asked: Bases loaded and two outs.

Ground ball to the third baseman toward the SS and the runner from second stops to avoid being tagged.

Instead of tagging third for the force out, (9 and 10 yr olds) the third baseman chases the runner from second and tags him out but not before the runner from third touches home plate.

Does the run count because he tagged the runner or is it still a force out?


Rick answered: Chris, thank you for your question.

It is still a force, run doesn't score.

A force play is a play in which a runner(or two or three runners) loses his right to the base he occupies and is forced to advance because the batter becomes a batter/runner.

For a given runner, a force play ends as soon as he touches the next base, or a following runner is put out at a previous base.

In the rundown picture above, had this situation started as yours did, the infielder can just run the base runner all the way back to the bag and tag him there, no need for a throw.

If there are two runners at the bag, players should tag both, and let the umpire sort out which one should be out.

The rule for this is 2-29 Play, Double Play, force Play, Play Ruling, Squeeze Play: Art 3...

Yours in baseball,

Rick