Funny you should mention this....we just had a play in my son's college game that 1) almost resulted in a serious collision....and 2) resulted in a dropped ball, though we did throw the runner from 1B out at 2B because he didn't know if the ball was caught.
In this situation, our RF clearly should have made the play. 2B got to the ball, but was turned around and looking up and back. I have no idea why the RF didn't take it. As parents, we talked about this during the fall. On a pop up behind 2B, but in front of 2B, it was common to hear at least 5 voices calling out who's ball it was.....even the 3B and SS were sometimes involved. We commented at the time that it was the most ridiculous thing we had ever seen....but it happened MULTIPLE times in the fall. Can't say for certain on the play this past weekend, as we were on the 3B line and the play was in RF. I'll have to ask my son what they are being taught/told
In HS, especially at a small HS like ours, my son was the SS. If he could get to it, typically it was his ball. Our 2B and RF weren't either one very mobile, so balls hit on that side of the diamond were a crapshoot.
Here's another situation. Son's freshman year in college, there were at least a half dozen dropped pop ups by the catcher, 1B or 3B, either fair or foul. My son was a 3 year HS starter at SS. After the 6th or 7th one, where the 1B called him off on a ball that was just inside the line.....and then missed it and ended up with a black eye...and also let the runner reach first.....son went into the dugout after the inning and said "If I can get it, I'm taking it". Coach didn't argue....and it hasn't been an issue since 