Craziest Game Ending Play
 

What is the craziest game ending play you've ever witnessed in a big game.

Prior to Saturday, I think mine was the HS state title in Montana won on a walk off bases empty D3K and multiple errors.

Saturday's MHSAA D4 title game changed that.

Situation. Top (or bottom) of the 7th inning. 3-1 Unionville Sebewaing Area (USA) leads Kalamazoo Christian. Runners at 1st and 2nd, 0 outs. Batter hits a line shot off the pitchers glove that deflects right to the SS in the air, who tags 2nd and throws to first for a game ending, state championship winning triple play.

I have rarely ever seen a triple play in fast pitch and have never seen it end a state title game. Add in the deflection off the pitchers glove and it was even stranger.

The play made Sports Center as the top play on Saturday night.

https://www.mlive.com/highschoolspor...play-no-1.html

BU, you gotta make that call at second base. Ugh...

Not sure why whoever was filming this decided to follow the winning coach in his happy dance. He didn't do a thing other than almost bust his ass running out onto the field. :rolleyes:

I do very little three man. Would the call at second be the U1 or U2? The U2 (I think I have the numbers right), is only seen for a very short time in this video. He has already made a break for it and can be witnessed exiting the field during the coaches happy dance.

My thinking is that this is the U1's call as he is in position to see that play clearly and you are correct, he never makes a call on it. I hadn't noticed that before.

There was something else I didn't realize at first with this play. That was nearly interference (unintentional, but still interference) by R1 on this play. That ball, after the deflection, doesn't miss hitting R1 by much. Ironically Kalamazoo Christian would have been better off had she interfered.

IIRC the rule correctly, the runner would be out for interference, and the batter would be out because this was a "fly ball" that could be caught by F6. R2 would have been put back on first base. This would have given them one last chance to come back instead of having the game end on the triple play.

[You should have a look at ] NFHS 8-8-6

That's not the NFHS rule, that's the USA/NCAA rule. On runner interference, either a ground ball or fly ball, the runner is out and BR is placed on first. Personally, I think this is a rule that NFHS needs to change to align with USA/NCAA.

You're out in softball if hit by a deflected batted ball? Boo hissssss.

I'm getting confused now. (Which might be easier for me than some...)

Here's the USA and NFHS rules:

USA 8.8 THE RUNNER IS NOT OUT

F. When a runner is hit by a fair batted ball after it touches or is touched by any fielder including the pitcher, and the runner could not avoid contact with the ball.

NFHS 8.8 RUNNER IS NOT OUT

ART 6… A runner is hit with a fair batted ball after it touches, or is touched by, any fielder, including the pitcher, and the runner could not avoid contact with the ball.

Am I misreading something that was posted? Have we moved from deflected balls to something other?

No, not what I said. In USA/NCAA softball, if you interfere with a fly ball over fair territory, both the runner and batter are out (in USA, also foul territory).

In NFHS, interference with a fly ball over fair territory is runner out, BR placed on first. Over foul territory is out, foul/strike on the batter.

In this case, the runner could interfere with F6 catching the ball, as it would extend to the "initial play" but getting hit with the ball is nothing.

U3 is on the line during this play. He has no responsibilities at second base during this play. He could conceivably call interference if R1 had hindered F6 from catching the deflected ball, but that's pretty much it. His only primary responsibility is to watch base touches at third base, and secondary responsibilities would be to watch other plays to help if required.

The post said she was almost hit by the ball and if so she would have been out. Nothing about interfering with the fielder.

So someone is mistaken, right?

NFHS 8.8 RUNNER IS NOT OUT

ART 6… A runner is hit with a fair batted ball after it touches, or is touched by, any fielder, including the pitcher, and the runner could not avoid contact with the ball.

I was referring to this post:
Correcting the second paragraph, effect for runner interference with a fly ball, as if she were to run into F6 catching the ball. Being hit with a deflected ball is not interference.