I guess this one is too hard, so I will post the solution.
A, leading off the inning for the Blunderers, hits a triple. He is caught trying to steal home on the first pitch to the next batter.
B, batting second, after watching A caught stealing home, hits a triple. He also tries to steal home, and is also out at the plate.
C, after watching B caught stealing home, hits the third consecutive triple.
D hits a long high fly ball to left field. As he runs to first and then second base, C retreats to third base, ready to tag up when the left fielder catches the ball. The ball in fact bounces off the wall above the left fielder's head, but the left fielder throws it back to the infield so quickly that C retreats to third base.
According to rule 10.07(b)(3), D is credited with a double even though C did not advance:
(3) Runner on third. Batter hits high fair fly. Runner takes lead, then runs back to tag up, thinking ball will be caught. Ball falls safe, but runner cannot score, although batter has reached second. Credit batter with two base hit.
E hits a slow ground ball to the third baseman, who picks it up, sees that E is already safe at first, and just holds the ball, staring at C, who is still on third base.
According to rule 10.07(a), E is credited with a single even though C and D did not advance.
Summary so far: 3 triples, 1 double, 1 single, no runs scored, bases loaded, 2 outs.
Now the contrived part:
F hits the ball over the fence in center field.
C, half way between third base and home plate, stumbles and breaks his leg. Knowing that the ball is over the fence, he begins to crawl towards home, dragging his broken leg.
D runs until he is one foot behind C, and walks slowly at the speed C is crawling. E runs until he is one foot behind D, and also walks at that speed.
F, the batter, puts his head down and runs. He touches first, second, and third bases. He runs right past E, D, and C, while C is still 10 feet from home plate.
F is out for passing a preceeding runner. The inning is over, that being the third out. No runs have scored before the third out was recorded. F is credited with a triple, since he was in legal posession of third base when he touched it.
😛
Remark: Players, such as Tim McCarver, have hit the ball over the fence and NOT been credited with a home run when they did indeed run right past a preceeding runner.
