I dont have the ability to do it, but would be interesting to see the 2 videos side by side and synced up so you can see exactly where the catcher was with the ball at what point the runner got knocked down.

It's hard to do exactly, but by putting both videos in side by side browsers you can sync it up reasonably. At 8 seconds in the youtube video and 10 seconds in the photographers video, you can sync up the tags perfectly. If you then start both as quickly as possible you'll get a pretty good sense. When the runner knocks herself down on the obstructing 3B, the catcher already has the ball and is running toward the plate. From that approximation, it seems the runner should have been put back at 3rd.

(I've tried it a couple of other ways and I think the contact occurred slightly after the catcher got the ball from all of them.)

I think 3BU also saw the runner having to alter her path before the contact, to try to avoid F5, that alone might have been a 3B award, but the combination of the two resulted in a HP award. Notice during the conference, HP is asking 2BU something, and he first sort of shakes his head, then nods in agreement. BretMan - PLEASE ask about this if you can...

Still think it was a good call

The title of the first video is:

"Elyria wins state softball championship on obstruction call"

The complaint also applies to the NCAA Sol System Series (;)) game headline...

Just once, I would like to see it stated like this:

"Elyria wins state softball championship when Lebanon commits obstruction."

The "call" did not win the game for Elyria, the act of obstruction by the Lebanon player did not prevent the winning run from scoring.

That's how I would've judged it. I just cannot see how the runner would've beat the catcher to the plate if she hadn't been obstructed by F5. She was about halfway between second and third when the camera left the catcher as she was chasing the ball and panned back to third base in the second video.

I ran a stopwatch a few times in the first video from the moment the catcher leaped to try and catch the ball, and when she got back to the vicinity of home plate, and that took on average about 4.6 seconds. Then with the second video, I ran it at the same moment the catcher leaped, and then stopped it as the runner reached third base on her way home before she ran into F5, and that took on average about 3.2 seconds. Would she have reached home in an additional 1.4 seconds or so? I seriously doubt it.

OMG.

Pitcher commits an illegal pitch.
Catcher obstructs R1.
Catcher has the ball before R2 reaches 3rd base.
Catcher almost obstructs R2 again.
[Added] At about 1:05 into the second video, the DHC ejects the entire crew!

[Added] Video here [flickr.com]

This is some majestic level Internet wizardry. Thank you. While I am in no position to dispute the call, I'd still have put the runner at 3B. That said, well handled by the crew on the field...they made the call in their best judgment, and they owned it.

Thank you, although CB's looks better than mine! :mad:

With benefit of replay, I agree... I'd have also put her back at 3B... with benefit of replay! On the field in real time? I can support their call as a reasonable, justifiable call.

In an alternate universe without the obstruction, it is unlikely the runner would have even tried to score, it seems to me... F2 retrieved the ball and got back to cover the plate pretty quickly.

We don't see it, but I wonder if U3 signaled the OBS right away, or just called time after he realized the runner isn't scoring.

IMO, placement at 3rd would have been correct, even without the advantage of replay.

In the video from the first post, at 00:16, 3U is properly signalling DDB:
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...psertbyp9t.jpg

Thank you

Here is a link to another video of the obstruction. There is no way I can justify the call of awarding home plate given that we know the location of the ball, the fielder with the ball, the runner and the obstruction on this play.


https://youtu.be/55o6ppkU9mE

I agree. At the time of the OBS, there was no way the runner would have reached home safely had the OBS not occurred

You are absolutely wrong...

(...for trying to debate the fans and other assorted flotsam on YouTube! ... That was you, right?) :D