http://iscoresports.com/

Girls fastpitch softball
Runner on first base
batter hits a popup to no-man's land behind 2nd base
2nd, rf, and cf converge, but no one catches the ball
since runner on 1st thought someone would catch the
popup, she stays close to first
ball hits the ground - no obvious error, but 2nd baseman
picks up the ball and runs over and touches 2nd base to
get the force out on the runner from 1st

I ruled it a fielder's choice, since the defense got the
lead runner out. Would there be any justification for
ruling it a hit? If there hadn't been a runner on base, I probably
would have ruled the play a hit, cause even if I wanted to rule
it an error since it should have been a routine play (even though
no one touched it), I don't know who the error would have gone to,
since all three fielders were standing right there.

From http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/of ... rer_10.jsp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;:

10.05 Base Hits
...
(b) The official scorer shall not credit a base hit when a:
(1) runner is forced out by a batted ball, or would have been forced out except for a fielding error;

It is a fielder's choice. Any time a runner is forced out, it is a fielder's choice. Even a clean ball hit to left field that would have been a single with no runners would be a fielder's choice if a runner is forced out on the play.

It is also not an error for the same reason --- when a runner is forced out, there is not an error.

From the same link:

10.12 Errors
....
(d) The official scorer shall not charge an error against:
...
(4) any fielder when, after fumbling a ground ball or dropping a batted ball that is in flight or a thrown ball, the fielder recovers the ball in time to force out a runner at any base; or

Thanks for the quick response. I remember, now, why I was so sure I had it right. Just like your example, I was scoring a game last fall where a batter hit a smokin' line drive to CF with a runner on first. It got to the CF so fast, she was able to field it one one hop and throw to 2nd for the force.

It's a tough break for the batter, I know, but I guess these are the ones that even out with those "mental mistake" errors that go for a hit, and are tough breaks for the pitcher.

Yes, fielders choices can be brutally unfair to the batter, but it is what it is. Batters can definitely be penalized for there being runners on.