I went to watch an 8yr. old AABC Regional game last week and saw an interesting situation. Runners on first and third, two outs. The batter hit a grounder that went foul but was spinning and came back to hit first base and then roll on out towards right field. PU immediately called foul ball. The coaches were hollaring to their kids to run not paying attention to the PU. The batter ran to first R1 went to 2nd and R3 went home. Now, when the kids had heard PU declare the ball to be foul...they automatically stopped playing defense. Both team coaches went to confer with PU, then the BU came into the conversation and told the PU he was wrong with his call and the ball was in fact a fair ball, the runners would stay and the run scored. The defensive coach was upset since they lost the game by one run.
This is the first time I've seen the BU overturn the PU in front of the coaches without confering with each other first in private. He basically said to the PU he was stupid, I was shocked at this kind of officiating since it was during a Regional game.
I'm sure more experienced umpires wouldn't have called the ball foul until the ball is touched in foul territory but for the BU to humiliate the PU in front of all.....I just think that it could've been handled better. To my understanding after the game both umpires got reprimanded.
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JO
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