Quote:
Originally Posted by tankmjg24
Rule set is Little League Majors. Game is tied in last inning with home team batting and runner on first with one out. Batter hits ball off the left center field fence and R1 proceeds to try and score. The throw from the outfield is high and wide and goes off the backstop. In watching R1 cross the plate, he straddled home and was no where near touching it. Now this is where my question starts. Usually I would end the game and walk off the field but now the defense has the right to appeal the missing of home plate. However, the BR who hit a clean double, went to third on the throw, and is now sprinting home on the overthrow is tagged by the catcher who picked the ball up off the backstop fence. I called him out and slowly started to backpedal to the gate the whole time watching to see if an appeal was going to be made. Fans were yelling that the R1 missed third, but I was not watching here but was following ball to make sure catch was not made then following R1 across the plate. I waited until all players had crossed the foul line and then called game. Coach finally heard fans and asked if they could still appeal and I explained that once all players had left fair territory they could not and he did not seem too concerned about it.
Now my question is, what does one due in the above situation when it comes to a play being made on the BR. In most situations if the front run scores the game is over so no call would be made. However if an appeal is made on the missing of home by R1 and no call is made on the BR then to me you are in for a world of arguing where no call was made. However by making a call on the BR you are saying that something out of the ordinary is going on.
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ALWAYS assume that there COULD be something else going on (in this sitch, you KNOW there's a possible appeal. However, in a future sitch it could be your partner with the possible appeal.). Call the play until the play is over. Never call "ball-game!!!" while play is live. If, after the play is over, the game is also over, then call the game.
Second - for this very reason we are very consistent in our behavior after a game. If, for example, we generally sprint off the field and then suddenly don't in your OP, you're tipping someone off. I ALWAYS meet my partner in the infield, compare scores, and then walk off together. In your OP, were this your normal procedure, you could do the same knowing an appeal might come and make sure you're not leaving until the team is out of the infield.