Q #2: A batter hits a ground ball to the shortstop. He beats the throw to first base. After running through the base, the runner veers to his left--rather than running straight down the foul line or moving to the right of the foul line. Seeing that, the first baseman immediately applies the tag on the batter-runner. You are the base umpire. Do you call the batter out?
A #2: The batter-runner may turn left or right, provided that if he turns left he does not make an attempt to advance. An attempt is a judgment made by the umpire. The requirement is that the runner must immediately return to first after overrunning or oversliding it. Rule: 7.08(c and j)
With that being said, we teach our runners to turn right after overrunning first base to remove all doubt about whether the runner made an attempt to advance or not.
