[whiskers_ump]

Two good 5A level teams playing NFHS tournament. I am PU.
Team A's pitcher has probably thrown three actual strikes in
five innings. She is throwing outside and not even close to what
an umpire could call a strike. She has at least 7 K's, and all
the other outs are ground balls to F3 & F4. Team B"s
batters are reaching for the pitches and making weak contact.
One was even called out for making contact while on the plate. Team B's
coach comes up and is making some changes. She asked me
if the pitches being thrown by team A's pitcher are actually strikes?
Did not want to tell her what was happening, so just said, "Must
be coach, your team is hitless?" Well, she now has them taking pitches.
Out of the first four batters, three walk, the other hit to F4. Next batter takes two straight
that are outside for ball 1&2. Now Team A's coach starts yelling about where
my strike zone went and why. Two more balls and she walks in a run, making the
score 3-1. Coach yelling so much, he now has fans behind him getting
on my case. I asked his catcher, "Are any of those balls hitting the
corners?" "Not really she replies." Next batter goes 3&1 and then she
walks. 3-2. On this note coach is at HP. Asks catcher what is going
on, and she says, "He's not giving us the corner." To shorten this a bit, I restricted
the coach to the bench and had a chat with his catcher. Ejection causes too many
problems, so I let him sit on the bench. Since F2 never questioned [she just lied]
my zone, I left her in the game.

BTW, they team A won 3-2. Assistant did a great job of getting things
calmed down.

glen