Can you tag on a forced play?

Question

This is my first year playing slow pitch softball...my position is 2nd base. I know that if it's not a forced play (batter runs to 2nd) then I HAVE to tag him, but let's say there's a runner on 1st, and the next batter hits the ball. The ball bounces once on the ground and then into my glove but I am not on the base. Can I just tag the guy running to 2nd, and then throw it to first, or since it is a forced play, do I HAVE to touch 2nd base to get him out? I know that if it is not a forced play, I HAVE to tag him, but when it goes the other way, can you do either or?

Obiously nobody gets what I mean. And yes, there are occasions at 2nd base where you have to tag a person. If there is noboby on 1st, and batter hits and runs past first and on to 2nd, I can't just touch the bag, I have to tag him. (if there WAS someone on 1st, then all I have to do is touch the base, as it is now a "forced" play because the batter forced the 1st runner on to 2nd.) All I want to know if it is a legal play to tag someone on a "forced" play if I happen to be halfway between the bases and can't touch the base. (I KNOW all you have to do is touch the bag in this case, but is it legal to tag them instead?) And yes, Short Stop should be covering 2nd if this is the predicament, but if for whatever reason SS is not available....is it ok to tag in this case?

Yo Cubs Fan! Yeah, I am serious...how many times do I have to tell you this is my first year playing! Does it help you, you egotisical reject, if I tell you I am a woman too?

Answer 1

You're fine with tagging the runner in a force play, and I know that it's often an easier option depending on where you field the ball.

It's an either/or situation, and you're not obligated to actually touch second base for the force.

Answer 2

Sure thing. The most common time you might do this is when a hard grounder comes your way with a runner on first; it may be much quicker to tag out the runner going to second then throw to first to complete the double play, rather than throwing to the shortstop at the base who would throw to first.

One point of confusion for some is that you must tag the runner with the ball in this case (inside your glove is fine). The main time this comes up is a fielder who has the ball in their bare hand, and tags a runner with their glove. This is not a legal tag, and the runner will not be out.

Answer 3

On a force play all you have to do is tag the bag...if you had to tag the bag and the runner, then we would never see any double plays because of the time it takes to do both. You could also just tag the runner if you have the ball and the runner is close to you. On a non-force play, you must tag both the runner and the bag.

Answer 4

If you tag the runner from first to second, he is out. If you then throw the ball to first base (and a player on your team catches the ball) the player can tag first base or tag the runner to first base to get the second out of a double play.
It's called a "force play".
At second base, there are not too many occasions to tag out a runner. If there is a runner on second, no one on first, with less than two outs: You catch a grounder, the runner moves off second, you can either run him down and tag him out or throw to the third baseman to tag him out. That runner is not forced to run on a ground ball.

Answer 5

he can run backward, and if the shortstop chases him each and every of the some time previous to 2d base earlier the the runner coming from 1st receives there the ss can tag the lead runner and rigidity the different runner by using stepping on the bag for a double play. Runners shifting backward to avert a tag takes position especially often and the fielders oftentimes take the confident out(s). What might want to possibly take position on your state of affairs might want to be a 643 double play, or the ss might want to have thrown to third to rigidity the lead runner. yet another state of affairs has the runner going to 2d being compelled out. At that element the lead runner might want to go back to 2d. the most trouble-free party of a runner shifting backward i can imagine of has a batter bunting to the first baseman to advance a runner. The ball and the runner arrive on the the first baseman at the same time, the batter strikes backward to rigidity the first baseman to make yet another determination and to attain time for the baserunner to advance.

Answer 6

I'm not sure about that.I know I play slow pitch and on Sunday I was on 2nd, the batter got a hit to LCF, they caught it, their was only 1 out, and I took off, the LCF, threw to SS and he tagged me out as I was running to 3rd base.So I am not sure about that.I would answer that SS should be their protecting the base if you are playing deep in RF.It should not matter either way, because as the Captain in the infield SS should have your back.

Answer 7

Yeah, you can tag him, if you tag the runner before he touches the base he's out, always.

Answer 8

It is ALWAYS OK to tag a runner off base. They will always be out - force play or not.

I teach my team, when in doubt, TAG FIRST.

Answer 9

You may always tag a runner, whether there is a force or not.


Also: If you are new to softball and are an infielder, you might ask whether your league observes the "Infield Fly" rule, and if so then ask someone to explain it.

Answer 10

you can tag and throw for force out to first for double play.. this is very basic and should already be in you rknwledge base if you plan on playing softball competitively.