Did I do the right thing?

dawg-man10+ posts

The baseball Gods were not kind today. I was the plate umpire in a high school fall league game. Bottom of the 7th tied 1-1. Runner at third two outs 0-2 count. The batter swings at a ball in the dirt for strike three. The ball bounces over the catcher hits my mask and somehow lodges in the knee saver of the catcher that had the top strap loose. Afetr a few seconds of not being able to find the ball, I saw where the ball was lodged.I immediately said dead ball and awarded the batter runner 1st base and the runner at third home. Needless to say things got a little hairy for a few minutes but I am 99% I made the right call here. What do you fine gentlemen think? As always your comments are appreciated.

10/13/0811:25 AM

❤️ 0

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

piaa_ump5,000+ posts

Good call...

For NFHS:

When a pitch lodges in the catchers equipment, the ball is dead. (5-1-1g-4) Penalty...the umpire awards each runner one base.

Batter/runner to first, R3 home on the award....

Then roll the balls to the home dugout, and you and your partner exit to the parking lot....Ball game over....

10/13/0811:52 AM

❤️ 0

Michael S. Taylor1,000+ posts

Sounds right to me. It is a lodged ball that was a pitch. Sometimes we get handed a bad set of circumstances and you have to make an unpopular award. This is why the addage of a good umpire shouldn't be noticed doesn't really work. Good job.

10/13/0811:55 AM

❤️ 0

isaacvanwart100+ posts

Good call, Blue. However, you and the defensive team were dealt quite bad hands in this scenario. You cannot make this stuff up--truth remains stranger than fiction.

10/14/081:08 PM

❤️ 0

piaa_ump5,000+ posts

quote:
Originally posted by isaacvanwart:
Good call, Blue. However, you and the defensive team were dealt quite bad hands in this scenario. You cannot make this stuff up--truth remains stranger than fiction.

This is a good point...........the game deals the cards...its up to the umpire to call the game as it plays out... and many times that means we have to make the "tough call"...

It matters not that the rule book calls for the award, the participants and fans will always look at it as the Umpire awarded the winning run...its what we get paid for...

10/14/081:19 PM