Strangest ending to a game?

[Fluid Fastpitch]

I’m confused why your umpire was up the first base line about 5 feet from your first base coach. I assume he was the base umpire and not the plate umpire. If so, he should have been on the left side of the field between second base and the shortstop. And he had no business making the catch/no catch call; that belongs to the plate umpire.

If he was the plate umpire, he should’ve been heading halfway toward third to make the catch/no catch and then watch base runners touching third and home. No way he should’ve gone to first base!

Again, really confused by this. Was he the base or plate umpire? Was he by himself? Sounds like you had a hot mess.

He was by himself. It was just a hot mess.

 

[Rubicon]

Wouldn't it have been over if they threw the ball to the pitcher?

No, pitcher in circle with control of the ball just means batter has to run or go back... they can keep running

 

[The Man In Blue]

That was my thought too. I would think once the pitcher has the ball in the circle the runner would have to retreat or advance or get called on a Look Back.

So, let’s say she rounds first on the walk to advance and she stops...that’s an out. Advancing to 2nd on a walk has to be continuous as long as no threat of throw or actual throw takes place.

Now, if she makes it to 2nd and rounds and the pitcher has the ball, she would have to advance or go back. If the pitcher simply walks toward her and makes the runner stop...the runner should be out breakiby the look back rule. However, if the pitcher makes a throwing gesture toward the runner, the runner is then free to bounce back and forth.

This also only works when the umpires know the rules for look back and apply them...which they all absolutely do not know! My daughter is a pitcher and absolutely knows the rule and tries to get girls all the time...Blue RARELY calls it. lol

The runner can stop to make a decision, and then must immediately move. She is out when she decides to hang out, not when she stops.

In your scenario, the pitcher walking at her is a play and the LBR no longer applies.

Sorry to rain on your last paragraph ... LBR doesn’t work the way you think ... maybe that’s why your daughter “rarely” gets that call ... but I’m sure it’s just the umpires.

 

[marriard]

Strangest ending......Hmmm...

Ok, we are in a semi-final of a USA Qualifier a couple of years ago - there are two spots for nationals up for grab, so if you win this, you get one.

We are in the bottom of the 7th inning, tied at 1. There are runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs and my DD is coming up to bat in the 4-slot. Our 1 run came on a HR she hit earlier in the game and she has been belting the ball around, so with an empty base there is NO WAY they are going to pitch to her. So they decide to intentionally walk her and load the bases.

First pitch is way outside, the umpire calls an illegal pitch for some bizarre reason claiming the catcher wasn't within the catcher's box when the pitch started (which was totally not the case) and the runner on 3rd gets awarded home. Game over.

Cue the chaos - 20+ minutes of arguments, protests, yelling, and everything up to a fight starting between the TD and the opposing Head Coach.

And that is how we got our bid for USA Nationals that year.

 

[mmeece]

We had in interesting ending a couple of weeks ago. Last inning due to time limit, tied game. We're home team and up to bat. Runners on 2nd and 3rd one out. Our #2 batter is up (3 for 3 and a walk on the day). Fouls one straight back, really hard, straight into the plate umpire's arm. He's in horrible pain, breathing hard and pale. Gets himself somewhat together and asks how much time is left. That is when the other coach volunteers to just call it a tie and be done. I couldn't bring myself to object since it was just a showcase but I've never had one end like that.

 

[Mjgreenley]

The runner can stop to make a decision, and then must immediately move. She is out when she decides to hang out, not when she stops.

In your scenario, the pitcher walking at her is a play and the LBR no longer applies.

Sorry to rain on your last paragraph ... LBR doesn’t work the way you think ... maybe that’s why your daughter “rarely” gets that call ... but I’m sure it’s just the umpires.

Been a while since I posted this...the stop I was referring to was rounding first base on a walk, not when taking a lead off the base. With the group of umps we see year after year, any time a girl continues to second on a walk, and she hesitates, she’s called out. Also, as long as the pitcher doesn’t flinch her arms in the circle, she’s not initiating the action to make a play; she can move about her circle back to the mound as she likes. I wasn’t implying she can/would aggressively jump or flinch at the runner, but simply get the ball from the catcher and turn at her to watch her and swoop around to the mound. She doesn’t have to stand completely still waiting for the runner to return or advance. Semantics. I’ve had lengthy discussions with several umps and around our area that’s how they roll (if they know/enforce the LBR).

 

[badmonkey]

There was a 10C championship game the was in ITB bottom of whatever innning. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, one out. 100 degree day, both teams are probably in their fourth game of the day. Visiting team has a flame thrower of a pitcher. Ball coach got her at 55mph. In 10C. Their number one catcher was out with heat exhaustion. Number two was doing her best. A high inside pitch gets by the catcher untouched. Catches the umpire in the throat. He drops like a sack of potatoes. He can't recover. Can't breathe, etc. Ambulance comes and tends to him, he leaves in the ambulance. It takes a while to get another ump because this was the last game going, they had all left already. They finally get an ump to the field, and the visiting team wants to call it a tie and share the championship because the girls are tired, long day, very emotional, etc. Other coach wants to finish. Visiting team ends up forfeiting. The parents of that team heckled 10 year old girls while they accepted their 1st place trophies.

Sh*t. Show.

 

[OsDad]

This weekend, I saw a team try and win game by trying to "decline" outs that the opposing team took by stepping on the plate while hitting the ball, intentionally (like declining a penalty in football). They delayed for 45 minutes while the UIC tried to decide if that could be done. He finally decided that an out is an out, and they started a new inning. The team who intentionally got out ended up tying the game up, sending it into extras, and won.

 

[_MIA_]

This weekend, I saw a team try and win game by trying to "decline" outs that the opposing team took by stepping on the plate while hitting the ball, intentionally (like declining a penalty in football). They delayed for 45 minutes while the UIC tried to decide if that could be done. He finally decided that an out is an out, and they started a new inning. The team who intentionally got out ended up tying the game up, sending it into extras, and won.

..Yay for timed games..lol

 

[The Man In Blue]

Been a while since I posted this...the stop I was referring to was rounding first base on a walk, not when taking a lead off the base. With the group of umps we see year after year, any time a girl continues to second on a walk, and she hesitates, she’s called out. Also, as long as the pitcher doesn’t flinch her arms in the circle, she’s not initiating the action to make a play; she can move about her circle back to the mound as she likes. I wasn’t implying she can/would aggressively jump or flinch at the runner, but simply get the ball from the catcher and turn at her to watch her and swoop around to the mound. She doesn’t have to stand completely still waiting for the runner to return or advance. Semantics. I’ve had lengthy discussions with several umps and around our area that’s how they roll (if they know/enforce the LBR).

Wrong. Apparently they don’t.

As far as the pitcher “making a play” that is a matter of umpire interpretation. For me, looking at the runner is not a play; movement or “feint” towards the runner or a base (head, arms, body) is a play.