Any Who has the right to be there???

[goro25]

Pop up between home and first in the running lane (just foul). Does the runner have to avoid the fielder or vice versa?

*I know baseball has a running lane, I'm just assuming there is also one in softball. There may not be, though, since there is no bunting.

 

[BretMan]

Whenever a fielder is in the act of fielding a batted ball, the fielder has the 100% right of way.

The runner has to avoid the fielder. The "running lane" or the "baseline" or the runner's "base path" are irrelevant.

The three-foot running lane (yes, softball has one) only applies when the ball is being thrown to first base. And runners can leave their baseline or basepath anytime they want, so long as they aren't doing it to avoid a tag. A tag requires a fielder to already have possession of the ball and to be actually trying to touch the runner with it.