an odd finish

[corlay]

scenario:
12U tournament. 7 teams. Championship Sunday. Also 10U 14U and 16U at a complex with 3 fields.
12U games started at 9:00am and Championship game scheduled for 6:30, on the one field in the complex without lights.
We play at 11:00, then not until 5:00, and then champ game at 6:30.
Parents are already a little cranky over games being so spread out, and the liklihood of not getting home to their beds much before midnight.
It was also 93d and full-sun all day withiut a lot of shade/cover to be had.

We get to the bot of 5 in a very hard-faught back-and-forth game, and sun has set with darkness setting in. Umps conference and defermine to play one more inning. They inform both dugouts that game will be called due to darkness affer the 6th.

so, we play the 6th, and line up to shake hands and head home with a win. A conference ensues with opposing team, umpire, and tournament director, and they inform us that they are moving the game to one of the fields with lights and we have to play a full game of 7 innings.

At this announcement, things get pretty heated between coaches, director, umpire, and unfortunately - parents. so, after a good 20min of an argument, we do in fact switch fields. The field was un-prepped, and the pitchers plate was at 43'. so we had to wait for them to throw down some quick lines, install a plate at 40', and power on the lights. Afrer a 45min break in the action, we play the 7th, and it goes quickly. We were away team and our batters went down 1-2-3. one of their batters reached on error, with 1 out. Next batter K'd and Runner stole 2b during that at bat. Next batter grounds to SS, and Runner runs in front of SS as she is feilding the ball. Field Ump calls Interference and thats how the game ends 9-6.

Of course, now the opposing dugout hates the umps as much as we already do, because of the infereference call... (Karma?)

In the end, a very exciting game that was somewhat ruined for the players, by poor tournament planning and communication. 12 yr old girls dont generally respond well when the adults guiding the game get into heated "discussions"... but when it was finally over, we shook hands, offered apologies and congratulations, took photos, and wished everyone well. I hope that was enough to salvage enough positive memories for these kids.

Question: How improper is it to be directed to switch fields during a game? anything in the ASA rule book about that? And if the Umpire crew informs both dugouts the game is over after 6 innings, can they change their mind?

Seems to me, a "complete game" was played after the bottom of 5, so if they call the game due to darkness after 6, that should have been it.

 

[The Maj]

I have seen fields switched after a rain delay and I have been involved with a couple of games that were called because the field did not have lights or the tournament director was too cheap to rent the fields with lights included (field actually had lights but it was extra to turn them on). Since 5 innings had been played, the umps made a decision to play the 6th as the final inning and both dugouts were informed without opposition at that point, then there was no valid reason for the change in fields. Sounds like you lacked a tournament director with the intestinal fortitude to stick behind a call.

 

[corlay]

Sounds like you lacked a tournament director with the intestinal fortitude to stick behind a call.

The TD was the one who forced the field-change and 7th inning.
But did so at the conclusion of the 6th...

 

[MTR]

The TD has the authority to do whatever necessary to complete the games and tournament. That is covered in the ASA code.

The umpires thought they were doing both teams a favor, but in a tournament with an on-site TD, as shown here, it might not have been such a good idea. OTOH, this is a decision that should have been made by the TD prior to the end of the game.

AFA running in front of a fielder, that is not necessarily the correct call. It is not INT unless the runner did something other than run to interfere with the fielder.

 

[sluggers]

I'm glad your team won. The call by the ump is one of those, "You had to be there" calls.

I agree that the game should have ended after 6...what is the point of playing another inning? Pass out the awards, shake hands and go home.

 

[corlay]

The TD has the authority to do whatever necessary...

AFA running in front of a fielder, that is not necessarily the correct call. It is not INT unless the runner did something other than run to interfere with the fielder.

Didnt know that. Now Im curious where this is covered exactly in the ASA code?

For INT, I always thought that if the runner impedes the fielder from making a play on the ball is all it took?
in other words, contact with the fielder or ball is not necessary. Am I mistaken ?

 

[MTR]

Didnt know that. Now Im curious where this is covered exactly in the ASA code?

Article 310, I believe covers the tournament completion options. In championship play, which I am assuming this is in place unless there were special tournament rules attached, all games not ended by a run rule or forfeit must go the full 7 innings.

For INT, I always thought that if the runner impedes the fielder from making a play on the ball is all it took?
in other words, contact with the fielder or ball is not necessary. Am I mistaken ?

No, you are not mistaken. There was nothing mentioning the runner actually interfering with the player, but simply running in front of the player. Unless there is some sign of hesitation or physical actions by the runner to cause INT, it is nothing.