Baserunning/Leads

Question
I have been a manager in a central park modified/fast pitch softball league for the last four or so seasons.  Ever since inception in this league, there has been a rule that no runner may take more than a two step lead after the release of the ball from the pitcher's hand.  The unwritten portion of that rule is that it has been assumed by most teams that there is a force behind a runner at every base.  In yesterday's game, my catcher threw to 1B and the runner was forced out.  The umpire did not know the league rules and the standard for the rest of the game was that the runner had to be tagged out.  What is the typical case, force out or tag out? Isn't there a force at every base behind  the runners, so that the runner leading off the base would not have to be tagged out?

Answer
Hi Michael,

I'm not surprised the umpire made the call they did because your league rule of a "force" behind the runner is pretty rare, I've never seen one like it.  You can have any local rule you want but this one is a real departure from regular softball rules.

You can only have a force out when a runner is no longer legally entitled to the base they occupy because the batter became a b-r.  In an lead off base situation (or attempted steal) there is no force, the runner must be tagged for an out.

mark