Running back to avoid tag

yance

Addicted to Softballfans
Men on 1st and 2nd, nobody out. Ball is hit to short stop man on 2nd running to 3rd stops and takes a few steps back to force the short stop to either chase and tag him or throw to abase to get a force. Trying to avoid a double play. I know he can not go back to the bag, but Is the runner out for stepping back? We play under SSUSA and ASA rules.
 

ureout

The Veteran
no...smart play by the runner....as long as he is going backwards and not sideways to avoid the tag
 

NCASAUmp

Un-Retired
To the OP's question, it's not an out. Nothing illegal about it, because it's still running the bases legally. No one has been put out yet.

As for the question about running back towards home plate, it only applies when the batter-runner is attempting to avoid a tag. There's no legitimate reason whatsoever for a batter-runner to run back towards home, so that's the one exception to the "no running backwards" rule.
 

JabNblue

Member
Men on 1st and 2nd, nobody out. Ball is hit to short stop man on 2nd running to 3rd stops and takes a few steps back to force the short stop to either chase and tag him or throw to abase to get a force. Trying to avoid a double play. I know he can not go back to the bag, but Is the runner out for stepping back? We play under SSUSA and ASA rules.
Very good base running!
 
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