Confusion at First

[fastpitchforever]

Gotta love high school ball....

R1 on 1st with no outs. Batter attempts a bunt but pops to 5 who lays out to try to make the infield catch, but just misses and gets it on the one hop. Meanwhile, R1 charges to 2nd and batter-runner runs to 1st. But wait! R1 stops short of 2nd thinking the catch was made. Throw is made from 5 to 4 at 2nd ahead of R1, who then runs back to 1st only to find the batter-runner now standing there. Defensive player 4 tags R1 while both runners stand on 1st, who is then called out.

Question is, does the batter-runner get the hit or is it a fielders choice? Player 5 never had a play at 1st on the batter-runner, but did not attempt one either.

[Comp]

Did F4 touch 2nd or just relay the throw over to 1st for the tag of the runner there? If 2nd was touched, the runner was already out before the throw and tag at 1st.

I would say it would be scored as a fielders choice if the throw to F4 was ahead of the runner.

[fastpitchforever]

Throw from F5 to F4 was ahead of R1, but F4 never touched 2nd, just chased after the runner as she retreated to 1st, and then tagged her out back at 1st where the batter-runner was already standing.

If R1 had reached 2nd before F4 got the ball, and then retreated back to 1st in the confusion, would it have mattered as far as scoring a hit vs fielders choice for the batter-runner?

[PDad]

... Question is, does the batter-runner get the hit or is it a fielders choice? Player 5 never had a play at 1st on the batter-runner, but did not attempt one either.

It's a FC because a preceding runner was forced out. There is also a similar rule when any lead runner is put out. Whether they had a play on the B-R would only matter if they made an unsuccessful attempt on a preceding runner (i.e. too late).

... If R1 had reached 2nd before F4 got the ball, and then retreated back to 1st in the confusion, would it have mattered as far as scoring a hit vs fielders choice for the batter-runner?

I'd give them a hit in that case, even though they are still forced to 2nd.