Error on double steal attempt

[ixamnis]

College Softball game. 2 outs runners on first and third. Runner on first attempts to steal second. Catcher throws on line to first base side of second base but second baseman comes well in front of second to cut off throw and either hold runner at third or throw runner on third out if she goes home. Only problem is second baseman doesn't catch/touch the ball. It goes past her and the shortstop who is actually covering second doesn't catch/touch the ball either. Distracted by the second baseman evidently. The runner could have been tagged out had the shortstop caught the ball. So the runner on third scores due to the error. The runner in first gets to third on the error. Official scorekeeper gave the error to the shortstop and does not credit the runner for a steal. Which seems reasonable but since no fielder touched the ball I wondered if the error should go to the catcher? Catcher did make a throw that either fielder could have caught though.

[PetroGuy]

I don't know about college softball, but MLB rules state the runner on first (R1) should get credit for a stolen base. The error is charged to the second baseman for the advances of R3 to home and R1 from second to third. (MLB rules 10.07b and 10.12.d1).

[ixamnis]

I don't have immediate access to MLB rules, but Interesting that MLB would award a stolen base regardless. I think Iscore asks would the runner have been out if the error had not occurred.

[team mom]

The steal to second would have been awarded even if the cutoff throw/catch had been successful. The error allowed both runners to advance an additional base. (That is softball rules. Maybe MLB would have recorded that as a fielders choice.)

[ixamnis]

I must not have explained this well enough. The throw from the catcher went past the second baseman who appeared to be trying to cut it off. Had the shortstop covering second then caught the throw and tagged out the runner coming from first at second base there could have been no steal and the inning would have been over.

[OhioTex]

Sounds like you have a judgment call here ...

And seeing it live matters.

. You said catcher threw a ball that fielder could have caught But
Was the double steal really on? Was runner from third breaking down the line
How close would play at second been, hard to assume the out at second a lock
Fielder having to touch the ball is not a criteria for error ( example ball through wickets .still an error)...

[ixamnis]

Oh do I wish for instant replay at all levels!

My best recollection was the runner from third was not breaking. The play at second would have been close had the shortstop caught it.