Brouhaha - LL softball

[Insane Blue]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

No... offensively they were no-hit. Defensively they gave up plenty of hits and walks, and 8 runs.

I read an article that said they threw a no hitter in that game on some news sight. I just looked at an article from USA Today and sure enough you are correct they where no hit.

[darkside]

Originally Posted by Dakota

If the reports are accurate, what he did was not gamesmanship in the context of LL tournament rules.

It is specifically against the rules to intentionally lose in order to cause a certain outcome in the pool play format. It is interesting that you point out that he did not have them intentionally striking out, while reports are he had his players bunt with two strikes, he had his players leave base early, etc. Clearly, those actions are more than using unskilled players (which he also did, and which is legal).

AFAIK, none of what he did would be illegal in any ASA tournament, but it was illegal in LL.

I talked with the coach and two of the parents. The reports are not correct. He bunted 5 times the whole game. There were only 4K's by WA that game, which was less than any other game they previously played, which means 14 balls were put into play and the SE team made the defensive outs. WA's defense only committed one error in the game.

It was not as the Iowa LL President or coach said it was. They were kept alive by procedural rulings, not by the tournament rules. Since when can a manager whose team is not playing protest a game? Little League failed miserably on that one. Note that the TD who watched the game, refused the protest. However, those in Williamsport, who did not watch the game and relied on testimony, upheld it.