Situation #18: Two Runners Same Base

            Sometimes the best players in the world make some of the same mistakes that many of us made as young amateurs. Two runners….same base….who’s out? First, let’s take a look at how they got there……………….

            In this first play, the runner was picked off at second. He successfully stayed in the rundown until the runner from first could advance. But then, the original runner was able to get back to the base safely.

            Both runners are tagged. In this case, the runner from first is out. The preceding runner is entitled to the base.

            In this second play, no pickoff is involved. The shortstop fields the hard-hit grounder directly in front of the runner. Rather than run into a tag and likely double play, he retreats back to second. In the meantime, the runner from first has advanced to second. Once again we have two runners on the same base and both are tagged.

            There is one major difference, however, in this play and the previous one. In this case, the runner from second is forced to vacate his base on the batted ball. He is no longer the legal occupant of second base. So he should be called out and the following runner ruled safe.