What's the call?

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OK, witnessed this this morning at my youngest DD's 10U rec tournament game. This was one of the strangest games I've seen all year. Here's the situation...

Bases loaded. Batter hits a double to right field. R3 scores. Ball is thrown home in attempt to throw R2 out - she's safe. Catcher ready to throw to 3rd to make attempt on R1 when all of the sudden here comes R2 back onto the playing field running past home and heading to 3rd. Now the chinese fire drill begins as R1 who is now standing on 3rd retreats to 2nd and batter retreats to 1st. R2 now turns around and heads home again and catcher tags her. Finally Blue calls time.....

Umpire says everyone is safe and play is over. Apparently someone told the girl she missed home which is why she came back into the field of play, no idea why she went to third. Blue says she was safe at home. Coach didn't argue that but tried to argue interference in that she prevented a play at third by returning to the field, no dice. Blue says runners retreating back to 2nd and 1st was penalty enough for players mistake.

Correct call?

 

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Agree with ump with the possible exception that R2 would be ejected for re-entering field, (Remember she is safe at home so her next job is to avoid being involved in any subsequent action). Since there is nothing that says R1 and batter were tagged out, or that R2 was involved by being hit by throw etc. they are more than welcome while live ball to go back bases assuming they retag each base, etc.

 

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Well, this was a 10U rec game as I said, so anything can happen I guess - just never seen anything like this before.

 

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Taking it one step at a time...

- R3 scores. Legal and run counts..

- R2 scores. Legal and run counts.

- R2 re-enters the picture after scoring. Now it gets tricky!

Potentially interference by a retired runner, but it's not automatic. Did she actually impede or confuse the defense and did that prevent them from making a play?

If she did, then it's interference, the ball is dead, the runner closest to home is called out (R1 in this case) and any other runner is returned to her last base touched or passed.

If she did not, then it isn't interference and her mere presence on the field hasn't violated any rule. It's not interference unless the runner actually interfered with something. Whether or not the runner who had scored actually interfered with a play is up to the umpire's judgment.

You cannot "un-score" the run since this runner had legally scored. Her return to the bases doesn't negate her run. She cannot be called out on the tag, since she is no longer legally a "runner" and thus no longer liable to be put out. And this isn't something she should be ejected for, unless this team had previously been warned about a similar action and the umpire thought that the return to the field was a willful and intentional ploy to confuse the defense.

The fact that the defense played upon the "returning runner" might tip my judgment to be that she did interfere with a play. I would have to base my final call on where the other runners were (could one of them reasonably been thrown out?) and how the defense was reacting to the their "retreat" (were they attempting a play, or just standing there watching it?).

Possible results of this play:

- If the umpire judges that the "returning runner" did not interfere, then two runs score and you have runners at first and second.

- If umpire judges that "returning runner" did interfere, then two runs score, R1 is out on the interference and the batter-runner is placed on first base.

 

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Thanks Bretman for detailed response, makes perfect sense!