Visitors at bat in 5th inning, bases loaded, one out. Batter hits bloop fly ball into shallow left for an apparent hit. Runner on third scores, but runner on second (for whatever reason) stays on second. Runner from first approaches second base and for a moment, both runners are standing on 2nd. At this point, the runner from first becomes confused and heads back to in the direction of first base, where the batter baserunner is just rounding the bag. Meanwhile, the left fielder picks up the ball and fires to 3rd base for a force out, (out #2). The third baseman then throws to 2nd to record the force out (out #3) on the runner who is now approaching 2nd base for the SECOND time. I call her out to end the inning. The offensive coach comes out to argue, claiming since the runner (who started the play on first) had already touched second base once, there was NO force and she had to be tagged to execute the out. I told her that since the runner had abandoned second base and retreated toward first, the force play re-attached, and she was out on that basis. After a prolonged debate, the coach finally gave up the argument.
As the players changed sides after the third out, I resumed my position behind first base, and I noticed that the visitors had been credited with one run. I jogged in to talk to my partner who said the run counted since it was a "timing play." I told him, "no, the inning ended on two force plays, one at third and one at second." He did not buy my argument at first, but I insisted that the run cannot score if the last out is a force play." Finally, he agreed and I had to go to the visitor's coach and explain why their run was coming off the board. Needless to say, she was not happy!
