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Viewing a "drop dead" time limit game the "other night" and saw this happen. (Remembering that inning must be completed for runs scored that inning to count unless home team ties or goes ahead).
2-1 game, home team leading. Visitors score two runs in top of inning, and have one out with runner on first. Coach from third base gives signal to "leave early" and to have batter swing at every pitch. (about 5 minutes left at this point). Girl from first leaves before pitcher starts her windup. Two outs now.
Defensive coach calls time, yells to have pitcher switch with other pitcher on team. "Take your warm-ups" is yelled. Somewhere in here a conference is taken. By the time they get done, there's only two-plus minutes on clock. Defense gets the out, theres only 1:40 left on the clock. By time teams switch, we're under a minute, in fact, visitors lolly-gag on defense. Only a few pitches are thrown when time is up.
I mention this because of several reasons:
1). It really was wonderful to see the home team not play his "trump card" of defensive conferences and switching pitchers until AFTER visitors pulled the "leave way early" card (I think runner was about 30 feet from first when pitcher STARTED her motion).
2). Good to see a coach use the rule in his favor AFTER someone else started it.
3). Only an umpire would know how to use the rules to their fullest extent like that.
GOOD JOB BANDIT!!!
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