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I was calling in the TAAF State Championships this last weekend. Was the PU on the game to decide who gets 3rd place and who goes on to the championship game.
Bottom of the 7th inning, home team down by 1 run, runner on 3rd, 2 outs. The batter hits a little blooper right over the pitcher's head, between pitcher and 2nd base. I immediately run about 3 steps to my left and in, to make the call on the catch and still being able to watch the runner coming home. I'm in perfect position to see the catch. The catch will be a forward running, bent over to the ground catch. Just as the F4 and and the ball get to the same place, the pitcher swerves to her left and blocks me out of the play. I was almost certain I could tell the ball was going to short hop the glove. I give my safe signal and look at the runner coming home and see her step on the plate. I immediately look at my partner, who was in C and coming in for a possible play at 1st. I instantly call time and go to him, asking for help. He looks pretty sick and said he had a great view of the play, right up to the time the shortstop side stepped into his view and blocked him. So, no help there, he didn't see a thing. All I could do was explain to both coaches what happened and call the BR safe and play ball, the run scores. Needless to say, I caught a lot of grief over this and I had to take it, just to let them get it our of their system and since it was my call. I am pretty certain the ball was caught, after listening to the crowd and the coaches immeiately after the play was made. Apparently the only 2 people who were blocked out on the play were the only 2 people who could make a call. The Home team won the game on the next hit, a triple that scored the runner who should have been out.
This makes my list of the "Top 5 Plays I Wished I Wasn't Involved In."
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Rick
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