11U AA, Nations Baseball

Question
On live ball play, runner from third attempts to score, runner from second goes touches third and turns towards home...in the meantime the runner from third is caught on a rundown, third base coach sends the runner who was originally on second back, but in doing so does not retouch third but instead cuts across in front of the third base cut-out in going back to second...in the meantime the runner from third beats the rundown and scores on a bad throw to the catcher, and the runner that was on second finally gets to third. After the play was over, the defense appeals that the runner standing on third should be called out for failing to retouch third. U1 and I conferred and called the runner out. Were we right? Secondly, since there were at least 2 throws after the runner missed retouching third, should the appeal be allowed. Should a throw to third base been made to complete the appeal? We called the runner out w/o any throw to anyone base. Further, after the game, U1 claims that I should have called the runner out immediately when he failed to retouch. I replied that is an appeal play. Is U1 right? By the way, I'm the same guy who asked you earlier about the batter hit by a batted ball while having both feet in the batter's box. You foud an answer in NFHS, but said you needed to check into OBR, any luck?

Answer
Jose,

First off, I had no luck in finding a definite answer in the OBR Rules. However, I've been told that it is covered in supplemental materials, and all of them say that if the batter is hit while in the batter's box, it's a foul ball.

Now, on to your next set of questions:

In the situation provided, calling the runner out was not right. For one, the runner was standing on the base that the defense appealed he missed. How could he miss a base he's standing on?

Secondly, most rule codes use a "last time by" rule. Let's add to your scenario that the runner from second also scores after touching third. Because he touched third base the "last time by", he can not be appealed to miss the base. However, if he had stayed at second and never returned to third, you could uphold the appeal.

As far as the way the appeal was made, that depends on the rules the league uses. OBR states that an appeal has to be made by touching the runner or the base you're appealing while in contact with the ball, during a live ball. If FED rules were being use, then dead-ball and verbal appeals are allowed.

Whether you immediately call him out depends on the rules used as well. Some leagues have a rule that automatically calls a runner out for missing a base. However, OBR and FED state that you can only call him out when the defense appeals.