What should the third baseman do when a ground ball is hit to her with a runner on third and two outs?

What should the third baseman do when a ground ball is hit to her with a runner on third and two outs?

• A. Throw to second base
• B. Throw to first base
• C. Attempt to tag the runner at home
• D. Check the runner on third

Answer: (B)

When a ground ball is hit to the third baseman with a runner on third and two outs, the best course of action is to throw to first base. This decision is based on the game's situation: with two outs, the primary goal is to secure the third out and end the inning. By throwing to first base, the third baseman can retire the batter and close the inning, preventing any runs from scoring. The urgency of securing that third out takes precedence over attempting to tag the runner at home since the runner at third is not a direct threat to score in the face of a potential out at first. Furthermore, attempting to tag the runner at home may present unnecessary risks, such as missing the out entirely if the throw is not executed properly or if the runner is too close to the plate, whereas throwing to first is a straightforward play that is typically easier to execute. Choosing to throw to second base would also not make sense in this context, as there is no force out at second; the runner on third cannot be forced out, meaning that either attempting to tag that runner directly or checking on them becomes unnecessary. Thus, making the safe play at first base is indeed the best strategy in this particular situation.

When a ground ball is hit to the third baseman with a runner on third and two outs, the best course of action is to throw to first base. This decision is based on the game's situation: with two outs, the primary goal is to secure the third out and end the inning.

By throwing to first base, the third baseman can retire the batter and close the inning, preventing any runs from scoring. The urgency of securing that third out takes precedence over attempting to tag the runner at home since the runner at third is not a direct threat to score in the face of a potential out at first. Furthermore, attempting to tag the runner at home may present unnecessary risks, such as missing the out entirely if the throw is not executed properly or if the runner is too close to the plate, whereas throwing to first is a straightforward play that is typically easier to execute.

Choosing to throw to second base would also not make sense in this context, as there is no force out at second; the runner on third cannot be forced out, meaning that either attempting to tag that runner directly or checking on them becomes unnecessary. Thus, making the safe play at first base is indeed the best strategy in this particular situation.