Base Line / Path
One out with a runner on 2nd base. Batter hits a ground ball to the short stop. The short stop fields the ball in the glove, then transfers the ball from the glove to the throwing hand in preparation for the throw to 1st base. Seeing the runner coming by from 2nd base, the short stop reaches out with the empty glove in an attempt to tag the runner that is running on the base line. The runner then jumps more than 3' out of the base line to avoid the attempted tag with the empty glove and continues onto 3rd safely. The short stop, unable to touch the passing runner, then throws the ball to 1st for the out. How many outs are there? Back to Quiz
Two outs total. Only 1 out on this play.
The runner jumping out of the base line is not out.
Runners are free to run out of the base line until the defense attempts to tag the runner with the ball. Then runners must run in their base path, which is a straight line directly between the base and the runner's position. When runners run more than 3' out of their base path to avoid being touched by the ball, they are out. In this case, the short stop never made a play on the runner because the ball was in her throwing hand while she tried to tag the runner with her empty glove. A play can only be made when the defense attempts to tag the runner with the ball, not the empty glove. Since no play was made, the runner is then be free to run out of the base line to avoid the defensive player fielding a batted ball and therefore should not be called out for jumping more than 3' out of the base path.
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