(Bit of a rant thread here....indulge me) I worked a JV game between two inner-city schools. It was single-man, but at this level I don't mind. Not much happens....oh wait: yes it does! I made calls tonight for rules that I've never had to invoke in all my time umpiring.
- "Triple play" on a fly ball with the based loaded: Fly ball is caught, R3 is picked off at 3B for leaving before the ball was touched, and R1 rounds 2B and heads for third while R2 is slowly tagging up at 2. Never called a runner out for passing a lead runner before.
- Batter-runner interference on a D3K. She picked up the ball and handed it to F2. Never called that before.
- Batter interference on a play at the plate on a passed ball. Never called that before.
- BR advances to 3B on an infield hit followed by a poor catch attempt by F3. Ball gets away and rolls to RF. BR gets to 3B and decides she must have been out. Coach grabs her on her way to the dugout and sends her back to 3B. BR is out for coach's assistance...never called that before.
- F9 scoops up a ball with her hat: 3 base award for detached equipment. Never called that before.
- This one's on me, as I missed it at the plate meeting: Coach tries to sub #1 for #1. Duplicate numbers on the lineup card...had to fix it and give the coach a warning. Neither player was actually wearing #1. Never had that before.
We played 3 complete innings in 1 hour 45 minutes (local JV time limit). Home team won 23-14. Yuck.