Cuico tossed for 3 games but Hoagland plays on ?

[MTR]

That Japan catcher was clearly blocking the plate. Look where she is in relation to the foul line. This is legal in international play, which is not the watered down "oh they are girls, be gentle" NCAA ruleset. The base runner is Jessica Mendoza.

She has possession of the ball, she is allowed to be there BY RULE!

They're athletes, they play hard, they play with emotion, and they don't always (usually) make the right decisions when left to their own devices.

Despite what most of the "hitting experts" may think, this isn't golf, contact happens. Taking a swing at another player after a play though, well, it isn't hockey either.

From the ISF rule book?

The runner is out:

s. When a defensive player has the ball, and is waiting for the runner, and the runner remains on his feet and deliberately crashes into the defensive player.
NOTE: If the act is determined to be flagrant, the offender shall be ejected.

Now, this would be ruled a train wreck basically because the throw pulled the catcher up the line a little. My issue is when the runner turned and drove with the shoulder. To me that is evidence her intent is now hitting the catcher, not trying to reach the plate. And what did the defense do to deserve it? Made a good play to put the runner out. And before the holier-than-thous jump on this, if that were an USA catcher, everyone would be screaming how cheap and illegal it is. IMO, it is unsportsmanlike and that is why I would have ejected her.

Yes, it isn't golf and there is contact......incidental contact.

 

[CobraAssist]

I'm from texas (and aggie fan though), and i was screaming at the tv for them to eject hoagland. No place in softball for that kind of behavior. My wife has a massive amount of respect for connie clark, and it all kinda went down the drain last night because she didn't grab her by the hair and yank her out of the game. Needs to take a page from mr. Walton's book, and do what's right in my opinion.

 

[starsnuffer]

She has possession of the ball, she is allowed to be there BY RULE!



From the ISF rule book?

The runner is out:

s. When a defensive player has the ball, and is waiting for the runner, and the runner remains on his feet and deliberately crashes into the defensive player.
NOTE: If the act is determined to be flagrant, the offender shall be ejected.

Now, this would be ruled a train wreck basically because the throw pulled the catcher up the line a little. My issue is when the runner turned and drove with the shoulder. To me that is evidence her intent is now hitting the catcher, not trying to reach the plate. And what did the defense do to deserve it? Made a good play to put the runner out. And before the holier-than-thous jump on this, if that were an USA catcher, everyone would be screaming how cheap and illegal it is. IMO, it is unsportsmanlike and that is why I would have ejected her.

Yes, it isn't golf and there is contact......incidental contact.

Look at how the pitcher screens the throw during that play. While the catcher does have the ball at the moment of contact, the baserunner does not notice this until the last moment. I'm not saying she should have tackled the catcher but I'm playing devils advocate. I'm also not sure what kind of slide the on deck batter is calling here, it looks like it could be either inside or run-through. She doesn't have a clear view of the play either given where the pitcher is and what she does to hide the throw. I agree that "train wreck" was the right call here, even though everyone playing softball for the last 10 years knows Mendoza is a steamroller and probably should have been called on it dozens of times before.

That said, the Texas vs. Oregon play there is clearly contact after the play, and irregardless of if the catcher threw up an elbow to fend off the tackle, that just isn't acceptable.

-W

 

[cshilt]

Agree that Cuico deserved to be tossed since it was her steamrolling the Texas catcher in the first inning that really started the chippiness going. Obviously neither coach has a problem with chippy thug play since it continued even after the ejection. Truly a shame.

In the play you're talking about the catcher was called for obstruction because she blocked the plate before receiving the ball. Essentially, she forced Cuico to make contact.

 

[cshilt]

I'm from texas (and aggie fan though), and i was screaming at the tv for them to eject hoagland. No place in softball for that kind of behavior. My wife has a massive amount of respect for connie clark, and it all kinda went down the drain last night because she didn't grab her by the hair and yank her out of the game. Needs to take a page from mr. Walton's book, and do what's right in my opinion.

Totally agree with this statement. My DD made the same comment, and said that "If I did this coach would take me straight out of the game."

 

[SoCalASABlue]

In the play you're talking about the catcher was called for obstruction because she blocked the plate before receiving the ball. Essentially, she forced Cuico to make contact.

I agree that the catcher was guilty of obstruction - BUT CUICO MADE A CHOICE in steamrolling her rather than avoiding the collision. For some folks, that is OK. For me, she's gone.

 

[CoachKevin]

I agree that the catcher was guilty of obstruction - BUT CUICO MADE A CHOICE in steamrolling her rather than avoiding the collision. For some folks, that is OK. For me, she's gone.

Which I agree, but what about Hoagland who wasn't ejected? Either way the NCAA really needs to look at these umpires and set some sort of precidence with them.

 

[MTR]

Which I agree, but what about Hoagland who wasn't ejected? Either way the NCAA really needs to look at these umpires and set some sort of precidence with them.

What? Do you think they just pull names out of a hat?

 

[CoachKevin]

Almost looked like it for this game lol

 

[SoCalASABlue]

Which I agree, but what about Hoagland who wasn't ejected? Either way the NCAA really needs to look at these umpires and set some sort of precidence with them.

Agreed - Hoagland should have been tossed long before Cuico's incident...

I still blame the PU more than anyone for letting the game get out of hand...but having talked with umpires in my own association about how college umpiring works, I'm sure it's tough having to balance getting more college work against being labeled as "undesirable" by college coaches and/or administrators.