All plays at home are treated like force outs for the out/safe call. • Runners must have a foot on the ground touching the scoring line (or have foot down past the line) before a defender possessing the ball touches the strike mat. Note: A runner’s foot on the ground beyond the scoring line is deemed to have touched the plate. • Runners are out at home if they cross through the batter’s box. • These are live ball calls. Umpires make call then focus on other runners.
COMMITMENT LINE
Placed 30 feet up the third base line from the front edge of home plate. • Once a runner touches or crosses the commitment line, he cannot retreat toward third base for any reason. • A retreating runner is declared out the moment he re-crosses the line. • Runners tagged after BOTH feet have touched/crossed the commitment line are declared “safe” and are not required to continue to the scoring line/plate. • These are live ball calls. Umpires should make the appropriate call then focus on any remaining runners.
-Darrin Sliwa