Mr

[Guest Philip M. Williams]

The Bases are loaded and there are two outs. The batter swings and misses the next pith and the catcher drops the ball. Does he still need to throw out the batter running to first or can he tag the plate and or runner forced home?

[ricka56]

I'm guessing the swing/miss was strike 3. Yes the catcher (with ball possession) can touch HP to end the inning.

[scrounge]

Tag is fine....once the 3rd strike is dropped, the batter is now the batter-runner and all the other runners are forced from their base.

[noumpere]

Did the batter become a runner?  Yes.

 

Did his becoming a runner result in other runners losing their right to the base?  Yes.

 

Is that the definition of Force?  Yes.

Can a force out be obtained by touching the advance base?  Yes.