Classic ball game with lots of strategy, several lead changes, ties, almost winning home runs, and of course a strange call or two to go along with it.

 

Really cannot post details as i do not know the names of the players for either team. All I know is that in the bottom of the 8th the Camels have a batter lean into a curve ball to get on base (Calvary argued but to no avail) and then the runner steals second and it is a high throw. The Calvary player jumps to catch the throw and the runner makes contact with him causing both players to tumble with the Calvary player landing on top of the Camels runner. The ball goes into center field where the center fielder promptly fields the ball and gets it back in to the infield. Unfortunately for Calvary the runner is awarded third for interference since the fielder landed on him and both were entangled on the play (Calvary coaches very upset on this call and rightfully so). That runner scores the winning run.

Classic ball game with lots of strategy, several lead changes, ties, almost winning home runs, and of course a strange call or two to go along with it.

 

Really cannot post details as i do not know the names of the players for either team. All I know is that in the bottom of the 8th the Camels have a batter lean into a curve ball to get on base (Calvary argued but to no avail) and then the runner steals second and it is a high throw. The Calvary player jumps to catch the throw and the runner makes contact with him causing both players to tumble with the Calvary player landing on top of the Camels runner. The ball goes into center field where the center fielder promptly fields the ball and gets it back in to the infield. Unfortunately for Calvary the runner is awarded third for interference since the fielder landed on him and both were entangled on the play (Calvary coaches very upset on this call and rightfully so). That runner scores the winning run.

 

Hopefully there was more to the play than you listed. How can one justify an obstruction call in the scenario you described?

I will add the runner was trying to get up and the fielder was on top of him (not intentionally). And again he had no chance of geting to third based on the play. Not sure how the rule reads as far as a runner trying to get up and if that has anything to do with it. Any way I looked at it not a way to have an ending for a great game. By the way in the 7th Michael Kremer tripled for the Camels to lead off the inning. Calvary intentionally walks 2 batters and the next batter hits a line drive to first that is caught and the first basemen steps on the bag fora double play. So now second and third two outs. Calvary again loads the bases and the next batter hits a low line drive that the Calvary SS makes a phenominal catch on to send the game to the 8th inning.

How did my guy Andrew Moran do?

Hopefully there was more to the play than you listed. How can one justify an obstruction call in the scenario you described?

 

I'll give my take on it. Looked more like the batter stood straight up from his batting stance when being hit with a curve ball that didn't break over the plate, not lean into it. Runner attempts to steal second, shortstop cannot get to the throw from the catcher in a good diving attempt. There was no contact on that part of the play. When the shortstop got up and attempted to go after the missed throw, his path was from the SS side of second in the base path towards 2nd base to recover the ball. Losey ran into the SS attempting to go to 3rd after the missed throw out attempt. Umpire called the obstruction.

Edited May 24, 201115 yr by dd734
correct term per Clyde

I'll give my take on it. Looked more like the batter stood straight up from his batting stance when being hit with a curve ball that didn't break over the plate, not lean into it. Runner attempts to steal second, shortstop cannot get to the throw from the catcher in a good diving attempt. There was no contact on that part of the play. When the shortstop got up and attempted to go after the missed throw, his path was from the SS side of second in the base path towards 2nd base to recover the ball. Losey ran into the SS attempting to go to 3rd after the missed throw out attempt. Umpire called the interference.

 

Let's be clear. It sounds like he called obstruction, right? Interference would be on the baserunner.

Let's be clear. It sounds like he called obstruction, right? Interference would be on the baserunner.

 

Correct

Here is the thing about a play like this, everyone there saw it. You ask 20 different people, you're going to get at least 10 different answers.

Here is the thing about a play like this, everyone there saw it. You ask 20 different people, you're going to get at least 10 different answers.

 

Trust me. I officiate basketball. I realize everyone doesn't see what you see. Sometimes it's that. Sometimes it's a misinterpretation of the rules. Without video we're spitballing.

It looked to me that Losey realized the shortstop was in the baseline after he slide and was safe at second. Losey almost always comes back to his feet when he slides as he did on this play. Seeing the shortstop scrambling to go after the missed ball, Losey just took off and ran into him in his attempt to go to third hoping for the call and got it.

I agree that the call unfortunately has to hurt one team. Again I am also agreeing that if you ask twenty people you will get twenty different responses. My angle was much better in the batter at the plate on the "leaning slightly into the pitch" and i will say from my vantage point it was clear that the batter leaned into the pitch. I feel I had a great angle and probably a better angle than the home plate umpire. I will say though as a baseball fan and not a fan of either team I want the call to give the runner an extra base to be one that is pretty blatant in a extra inning game that is tied. But both teams played well and the Camels came through with a clutch hit to win.

For what it is worth, I thought the obstruction call was ruled incorrectly and should have been a no-call. As dd734 said, it appeared the runner saw the fielder in his path and ran into him hoping to get a call that he was ultimately (rightfully or not) awarded. From my vantage point, it appeared that the fielder was just attempting to get up after being on the ground after the throw and not obstructing the runner intentionally. But had it been a no-call, the runner would not have attempted to advance to third after the contact, so you'd have a runner on 2nd with 1 out with Rebholz, Kramer and Teegarden coming to the plate. I'd still like Campbell County's chances to score a run in that situation.

 

I also believe (and from my vantage point) that the shortstop for Calvary made a great diving "short hop" pickup in the bottom of the 7th with 2 outs and the bases loaded. It didn't look like a catch from where I was seated. The effort on the play was incredible though by the SS. Still a good chance if it is a short hop, that he throws the runner out at first, but I just didn't see it as a catch. Great play nonetheless. It was easy strategy for Calvary to walk the bases loaded every time that they did and it worked out to perfection in the 7th and not so fortunate in the 8th.

 

The HBP was a HBP. His feet never moved but his shoulders turned/"made an attempt" (all that is required by rule or interpretation of the rule) to get out of the way. My own personal take on that rule is this. If the batter is standing in the batter's box and a ball is pitched into the batter's box area. He shouldn't have to move. I know that isn't the rule, but I wish it was.

 

The other interesting rulings were the two balks calls (both obvious balks admittedly from both teams) that resulted in hits on the pitch. Umpire calls a balk on the Calvary pitcher, who continues to throw the pitch and the Campbell County batter hits a check swing single to left. Umpire calls a balk on the Campbell County pitcher, who continues to throw the pitch and the Calvary batter hits a home run to left that would have made it 7-5, Calvary, in the 6th. High school rule says that a balk is a dead ball once called in both situations the runners move up one base and no pitch is recorded.

 

Great opening round game for the district though. Hard fought on both sides. Errors were costly to both teams and they both fought to overcome them. Congrats to Campbell County and great job by Calvary.

I'm not sure you can put a great deal of clout in the hits after the balk calls for either pitcher. I know the the Camels pitcher said he knew he balked well before he threw the ball, and when he heard the umpire yell balk, just continued on and threw the ball home. He said the batter may have hit a home run anyway, but it would not have been on the meatball pitch he threw right down the middle of the plate after the balk call.

No clout, just thought it was interesting with all the other things that played out during the course of the game.

So if the play that was described by dd734 saying the runner got up and started to run towards 3B at which point he defender ran into him is the debate then the OBS call appears to be correct.