Still a force out or not?

[Guest Curious George]

During a high school baseball game with no outs and bases loaded, batter hits a ground ball to third. Third baseman picks up the ball and tags third before the runner can get there forcing him out.  He immediately throws the ball home and the catcher touches the plate before the runner gets there for what was an apparent double play. Umpire called the runner safe at home saying the force was removed when the third baseman tagged the bag as the runner on third was free to return to third if he wanted after the runner on second was out. Was this the correct ruling?

[LRZ]

Yes.

[ErichKeane]

Yep, that is the correct ruling.  A 'force' play is only in effect when the runner is 'forced' to advance.  If you get someone out behind him, he is no longer 'forced' to advance, and could go back.

[Mussgrass]

Also take the situation of R1 (or more runners) and less than 2 outs. A ground ball to F3 and he fields it and steps on 1st and then throws to 2nd. Players are coached to yell "tag" to remind F4 or F6 taking the throw that they need  to tag R1 to get the out since the force was removed.

[Stan W.]

absolutely! which is why you often hear the infielders yell out TAG! once the bag is touched to remind the other players the force is removed and a tag is needed.  

[LRZ]

Guest Curious George, here is the actual HS rule, NFHS Rule 8-4-2(j)(1), which discusses force outs: "No runner may be forced out if a runner who follows him in the batting order is first put out (including a batter-runner who is out for an infield fly)."

[Velho]

Not NFHS, but OP adjace, LL goes so far as to define this as 'reverse double play'. Other rulesets don't appear to since it is already covered as @LRZ points out.

 

[Rich Ives]

4 hours ago, Velho said:

Not NFHS, but OP adjace, LL goes so far as to define this as 'reverse double play'. Other rulesets don't appear to since it is already covered as @LRZ points out.

 

He wasn't forced. And you have to tag the runner while off the base. Neither happened.

[Velho]

7 hours ago, Rich Ives said:

He wasn't forced. And you have to tag the runner while off the base. Neither happened.

Correct. The OP was correctly ruled because it did not meet the criteria.