This situation happened twice in the same inning at two different positions in a recent HS softball game.
Situation 1:
No outs. Runner on first. Batter hits a pop up on the infield to SS. As SS catches the ball, 3B runs into her knocking the ball out of the glove. The pitcher was alert enough to pick up the ball and throw to the 2B on second to get the force out of the runner on first. The batter-runner was safe at first. In the scorebook, a force out is recorded for the runner at second. No error was issued to SS. How do you account for the batter-runner at first? A fielder's choice was recorded even though there really wasn't a choice to get batter-runner at first. Or should a error or hit be recorded to account for the batter-runner at first.
Situation 2: Note this situation occurred on the next play immediately after Situation 2.
One out. Runner on first. Better hits fly ball to centerfielder. Centerfielder drops the fly ball, but has the focus to pick up the ball and throw to SS at second base to get the force out of the runner of first. Batter-runner is safe at first. In the scorebook, a force out is recorded for the runner at second. No error was issued to centerfielder. How do you account for the batter-runner at first? A fielder's choice was recorded even though there really wasn't a choice to get batter-runner at first.
In both scenarios, my head tells be FC was the correct answer, but something does not sound right. A coach told me you can't record an FC since there was no choice to get the batter-runner. If FC shouldn't have been recorded, that would mean either the batter-runner is on first by either a hit or an error. The player can't just magically appear on first. Was the original scoring of FC correct for the batter-runner on first?
