I need help with softball situation at 1st base?

okay so my first baseman was playing there and a hard hit ball came to her and so she bobbled it and than had the ball in the throwing hand and tagged the base with the glove (without the ball) and the ump. called her safe when she was out by 3 feet!! wouldn't that be a force out ..... don't have to keep your feet on the base anything to get her out right!! and the ump said that he never ever saw that in his 26 years of umping. well at least we won that game and won championship but i just want to know