Out-Of-Play Base Award
With nobody on base, the batter hits a hard line drive to left center field. While passing first base, the runner misses the bag. The runner then touches second base and half way to third base the short stop overthrows the ball into the dugout while attempting to make a play on the runner at third base. The runner, seeing the ball thrown into the dugout, returns to first base retouching second base along the way. What base should the runner standing on 1st base be awarded? Back to Quiz
Home plate, run scores.
Runners missing bases are considered to have touched the base, unless properly appealed.
Therefore, when the runner was beyond 2nd base at the time of the throw by the short stop, the runner is considered to have made 2nd, even if the runner missed 1st base. In this case, the 2 base award for a ball that goes out of play would be from 2nd base (i.e., the last base obtained at the time of the throw), which puts the runner at home plate, even though the runner is currently standing on 1st base. On the award, the runner must touch all bases (2nd, 3rd, and home). Rules 8-5-G, 8-3-A and 8-3-I.
When a ball goes out-of-play, runners should be given a chance to complete their running assignment. Had the runner not gone back to 1st base, but instead stayed at either 2nd or 3rd base, and then advanced to home plate on the award, the defense could then make a dead ball appeal that the runner missed 1st base.
Note: This dead ball appeal must be verbally made by any infielder, with or without the ball, stating that the runner missed 1st base. When properly made, the runner would then be called out on appeal by the umpire for missing 1st base and no run would score. |
