Home run - missed the plate!!

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by TwoBits

"The black" is not supposed to be visible if the plate is properly installed. However I will be the first to admit there are very few fields in my area in which home plate is installed in the correct fashion and I find it difficult to not call a strike when a pitched ball crosses "the black".

+1

I did game last week (11U, NFHS with some special modifications, namely "no stealing until the pitch crosses the plate") on a field where the plate was installed raised up over a full inch from the surrounding ground.

Naturally, at one point a pitched ball struck the front 'lip' of the plate and ricocheted back to the pitcher. R1 then tries for second, F1 throws the ball into CF. I kill the play and send R1 back to first. (no stealing till the pitch crosses the plate, dontcha know, and the pitch never 'crossed' the plate). Awarded a ball to the batter, chalked the whole experience up to "sometimes you just gotta umpire".