[jumpmaster]

during the 16 year old BR state final game last night, I had 3 experiences that I learned and earned my money. We were working 3 man crew, I was U3.

1) outs, runners not important. BR hits a shot to CF gap that rolls to the fence. I observe him rounding second but do not SEE him step on the bag. As BR pulls into 3rd for a stand up triple F5, F6 and F1 start chirping "he missed the bag, he missed the bag" almost at the same time. I steal a quick glance at U1 and he is heading back to A. I steal a quick look at BR he looks at me like "oh $h!+, I'm screwed". One of BRs teammates yells "Go back". F1 throws to F4, who steps on 2B. I call the out. I didn't see it, my partner didn't see it. I have to make a decision and live with it based on the circumstances surrounding the situation. As BR's teammates take the field, then new F8 runs by me and says "great call, he missed it by a mile". What I learned ALWAYS watch the foot hit the bag and it never hurts to be lucky.

2) R1, 1 out. Hit and run on. BR hits high blooper to F8. R1 touches second and realizes that F8 is probably going to make the catch. R1 runs back towards 1B without touching 2nd. F8 drops the ball, R1 sees the drop and then turns and heads back to second and the throw from F8 to F6 beats him. I signal safe because I know he was safe the first time he hit the bag. I know he will be out on appeal because he didn't touch 2B enroute back to 1st. I know the throw beat him back to 2B the second time. I call time and call our UIC over, who is U1. He asks, did R1 beat the throw to 2B. No. Then nothing else matters. The missed base is an appeal play. I call R1 out and get an earful from the head coach. He earned that right on this one. The 1B coach tells U1, good call.

3) R2, R3, 1 out. Interference between R2 and F6 on a ground ball in the infield. R2 is out. R3 returns to 3rd, BR to 1st. I had never seen the mechanics for this, or the rule applied in a game properly.