Are You Umpire Enough? Test Yourself and See!

Now try these test questions:

Batter hits a slow roller up the first base line. Ball stays fair. While running to first, the batter-runner trips over the ball and the ball goes foul. What's the call? Ans: Batter-runner is out and ANY runner is out if they contact a batted ball in play (not a thrown ball). Also, this is why batter-runners should run in foul territory.
Runner on first, batter hits a clean single to right field. Runner rounds 2nd heading for 3rd. The right fielder throws and hits the runner in the back with the ball. What's the call? Ans: Nothing, dead silence. Runner and play continues.
Runner on second, a passed ball gets stuck in the backstop. Catcher tries to dig it out (quietly). Runner realizes and heads toward 3rd. Eventually, the catcher calls for help, but before the runner reaches 3rd. What's the call? What if the runner made it to 3rd? Ans: Dead ball at the call for help. Runner goes back if they didn't make it safely, otherwise, they made the steal.
Two girls wind up as runners occupying the same base during a run-down in a softball game your umping . Which one is called out? Must the fielder tag them both? Ans: The trailing runner is out when tagged. The leading runner always has title to the last legal bag. If they don't make the next base, and run back, the trailing runners all have to go back, too, touching any bases in reverse. I wouldn't want to be there for this one. I'm sure I'd boot it.
The first base player falls while fielding the ball in her glove. She reaches over and touches the bag with the hand that doesn't have the ball in it just before the runner gets there. Is it an out? Would the call change if it were a different base? Ans: Out, touching a base with any part of the body on a force play with the ball in the glove or hand is a valid base tag. Doesn't matter what base. (I had to look this one up!) Electrical connections through the defender's body work for bases only.
What if the defending player is holding the ball in her left hand but tags the runner with her glove on her right hand? Ans: Safe, for certain. A tag is always with the gloved ball or ball in hand. No electrical connections unless they're tagging a base.