[Dakota]

Closest I've come to a FYC, and with 12U fall ball!

This past weekend, I was calling a "triple header" of 12U fall ball (a lot of these teams are former 10U preparing for moving up next year). Format of the triple-header was

A plays B
B plays C
C plays A

All drop dead clock at 1:20; no league standings kept. Fall ball is generally very low key.

Team A is at bat. Runner on 1st, steals second. B catcher complains she left "way early." One umpire game; I didn't see it.

Next inning, A at bat again. Runner on 1st. As the pitcher is into her windup, my brain registers a runner in my peripheral vision. My "did she really leave that early" disbelief (she had to be 2 steps off the base) caused a delay in my synoptic processing; I call the pitch (stike.) Coach B was now complaining loudly. BTW, 1st base coach was yelling "go" to tell the runners when to go.

I decide to concentrate on this runner (now on second). Pitcher in windup. Runner times her leadoff close - too close; she's about a half step off the base at the release. With just one umpire, I usually ignore that. No benefit of the doubt from me now, though - NO PITCH RUNNER OUT.

Next inning, A has a (different) runner on 1st. I decide to position myself at a bit of an angle so my peripheral vision can pick up the runner sooner. Sure enough - "go" from the coach, runner launches at least 2 steps early. NO PITCH, RUNNER OUT.

Coach A says, "I guess we'll have to stay on the base girls."

No kidding, coach.

It really annoyed me that this coach would be sending his runners early trying to take advantage of a one umpire situation. I mean really annoyed me. I watched this team like a hawk for the rest of that game & game 3. No further problems. Which, strangely enough, annoyed me even more since it just reinforced my belief that this coach was intentionally cheating (as opposed to young kids being too eager).