Player Ejection

[Bulldogs Coach]

I have a question concerning a player ejection and what the ruling should be where they sit in the line up. Our player was ejected Friday for contact on the catcher when she was sliding home. She put her hands out to brace her self for for the collision since the catcher was sitting on the plate. Catcher attempts to catch the ball when thrown to her and then the collision between the catcher and my player happened she lost control of her ball. The catcher ended up on her back side. The umpire called my player out for Malicious contact and ejected her from the game. Malicious contact because she had her arms out bracing for the impact. That is a judgment call and after going back and forth with the umpire a few times I had to tell my player that she had to leave the game.

Next inning when it is my player turn to bat the umpire goes to my score keeper and the score keeper on the other team and tells them that the player is automatically out because she was ejected. I then tried explaining to umpire that my interpretation of the rules is that a sub must take the place of the ejected player and the ejected player is removed for the line up. The umpire then proceeded to tell me that I was wrong and that technically the game should be a forfeit for player ejection. At this point I made it known to the umpire and score keepers that I was protesting the interpretation of the ruling for the player being out. The ump proceeded to tell me that I cannot protest his ruling and that I either take the forfeit or the out.

This morning I have requested a formal protest through our league. Can someone please help with ruling on the player being out or should the player be subbed?

We play USSSA rules.

Thanks,

 

[Comp]

The only time the game would be a forfiet is if you do not have a sub to take the place of the ejected player. You cannot play short handed because of an ejection. You are correct, an available sub can take the place of the ejected player. Your problem is going to be in that a protest must be made and ruled on before the next pitch.

Not being there and seeing the play it is not possible to tell you if the ejection was warranted or not. From your description it sounds like it may have been obstruction on the catcher, but that does not give the offensive player the right to plow the catcher. Again, without seeing it in person its impossible to give you an opinion.

 

[joemcq51]

You actually answered the question yourself. You play USSSA. The worst umpires in all organizations.

 

[Hit by the Pitch]

DD pitches and has been hit harder than what you described covering home and no one has ever been ejected. As long as the runner doesn’t lower their shoulder and, again like you mentioned, tried to brace the blow a little bit they might or might be automatically out.

I think the ejection and the out are separate things. Would the runner have been safe without the blow? For example the C does not have the ball yet. Run counts, player ejected. So there are 2 judgments here by the umpire, 1 for the safe, 1 for the ejection.

You can protest a game because the Sun is too bright, that is why some tourneys/ leagues charge a fee for protests. The umpire giving you a hard time about protesting needs to be addressed separately then the actual protest.

I am assuming you had a player available to take the ejected players place, if so you are going to win your protest.

It sounds like things got out of hand.

 

[Comp]

You have to lodge the protest prior to the next pitch.

RULE 13. PROTEST
Sec 1. Umpires will work to settle all problems on the field. Protests will be allowed
for age and rule interpretations only. Protests must be declared to the Plate
Umpire before the next pitch following the dispute. No protest will be allowed
following the game. Tournament Officials and UIC will rule on all protests and
their decision will be final.

 

[Bulldogs Coach]

We were not short handed. I had a substitute that took her place. I was thinking obstruction on the catcher as well. My thing is should have the run counted since she lost control of the ball and then the player was ejected?

 

[Bulldogs Coach]

@ hit by the pitch I think she would have been safe because the catcher was struggling to get control of the ball. It was rolling up her arm out of the glove then the collision happened. I expressed to the ump that I was protesting the ruling and he refused to let me protest. He stated to me I can take the out or forfeit.

 

[Hit by the Pitch]

I think you should have been able to protest but I think you would have lost that one.

 

[mogsoftball]

We had a similar situation this past weekend where the other teams coach was calling for our player to be ejected.

Our runner was rounding third as the outfielder picke dup the ball.

Outfileder threw the ball to SS for cutoff, at that time the other teams catcher moved up about 2 feet in front of the plate and crouched a bit looking like she was ready to block.

Runner was over 1/2 way home by the time short stop threw the ball. Our runner didn't slide, instead she tucked her face down and put her forearms up in front of her (like you would to set a pick in basketball). the ball hit our runner in the back just before she plowed into the catcher. Sh touched home and was called safe.

Other coach went nuts calling for her to be ejected, our coach starts yelling it was a legal that our runner doesn't have to try and avoid contact. plate ump called in the field ump asked him if he saw anything malicious, he said no catcher was in baseline and throw led runner and fielder to contact.

 

[Comp]

just before she plowed into the catcher

In your own description you say your runner plowed into the catcher. Certainly sounds to me like she should have been ejected.