Runner is one first base. He starts stealing second base but decides to go back to first. The ball goes from catcher to second baseman. Second baseman tries to pick up the runner going back to first but throws it in the stands.
The runner goes to second and stops there. Then he thought he had to go back to first so he starts running back towards first base but he never reaches it.
The umpire awards him 2 bases and tells him to go to third. So the runner is between first and second (last base touched is second base) and starts running directly towards third base (passes near the mound, not following any base line).
The pitcher goes back to the mound and touches his plate. The umpire makes a signal and we now have a live ball. The pitchers calls a timeout. He throws to second, making an appeal. The umpire calls the runner out. He said he failed to touch second base. When being reminded that the last touched base was second base he said that the runner had to touch it again because he started running back toward first base (even if he never made it back to first base).
There is no rule that says you need to run along the base line. The only rule is that when a fielder is attempting to tag a runner, the runner has to stay on the base path (the base path being a direct line from the runner and the base when a tag is attempted).
To me, there is nothing wrong with that:
- run from first to second base
- run back towards first base (but without touching first base)
- at a point between second and first, turn back and run towards third base
I'd call it weird base running.
So do you think it was a bad call or there is a rule that I'm missing?