The Fastpitch Chronicle

The bases were loaded with one out. The batter hit a ball into an outfield gap. A the sound of the bat striking the ball the runner at third returned to the bag and tagged up and sprinted home. The runner on second, however sprinted to third at that sound. 

The centerfielder made a great play and got to the ball prior to it touching the ground. So there were now 2 outs. The third base coach (head coach) was yelling loudly at the runner from second to get back to second. The outfielder made a throw to the shortstop who in turned spun around and lobbed a throw to the second sacker who was camped on the bag. The inning appeared to be over -- but was it?

The runner from third had easily touched home prior to the second sacker catching the ball at second to record the third out in which the head coach of the team at bat assumed the run had scored and should be counted but the home plate umpire ruled that the play at second base was a force out. A brief "discussion occurred between the two parties and the plate umpire acknowledged that runner from third did indeed touch home before the play at second. Then after just a bit the home plate umpire walked down toward the base ump where they talked things over. The end result was that both umpires insisted that the call had been made correctly. No run would be scored and it wasn't.

Here is Rule 2-2-4 and it's really a very basic baseball or softball rule that everybody officiating ought to know and so should every coach, player and fan of the game. 

Section 2-4 FORCE PLAY
Art. 1 - A force play is a play in which a runner (or two or three runners) loses the right to the base they occupied and is forced to advance because the batter-runner becomes a runner.

Art. 2- For a given runner, a force play ends as soon as the runner touches the next base or a following runner is out out.

Art. 3 - If a batted ball is caught before it touches the ground there can be no force play(s).

Art. 4 - If a forced runner, after touching the next base, except home, retreats for any reason towards the base first occupied, the force play is reinstated and the runner may again be put out if the defense tags the base to which the runner is forced.

The umpires in that game simply failed to call the game according the all the rule. 

One must wonder if the two officials researched their call by reading the rule book to make sure they know the rule the next time that situation occurs.

Here is the rule that covers the play described above. 

Rule 2-1 TIMING PLAY
A timing play is a play when the last out of an inning is not the result of a force out and the the exact time of the out may or may not allow a run to score. If a runner should touch home play an instant before the last out (which is not a force out) is made, then the run would be scored. If a runner should touch home plate an instant after the last out then no run would be scored.

This situation occurred in the same game. 

The head coach who was coaching third base walked toward the batter and motioned for her to step toward him for a word about what was going to be done strategically. After they finished their short conversation the plate umpire issued a team warning to the team at bag and called a strike on the batter. It was her second strike and completely changed the game because - the chat between coach and batter involved a planned bunt play but with two strikes that plan never.