NCAAs - Ridiculous Ground Rule
 

During last night's fiasco (well, I'm sure that's how NW sees it), there was an overthrow at 1B which was eventually called a Ground Rule Double.

After seeing the replay and hearing Beth Mowins note something about the concrete "sticking out" there, I realized they were killing any ball which hit the gate.

There are field-access gates on both side of the field. The gates are located just beyond the media area and had attendents assigned to them. The gate itself sits back approx. 3 inches. IOW, a ball can never get caught or come to rest on the concrete step. BTW, this step does not protrude, and is flush, with the concrete wall.

I cannot think why anyone would want to kill a ball which, no matter what, will stay in play. The gate and it's setting is now more dangerous then the wall itself.

I watched this game (LOVE the WCWS, never miss it) and thought this was ridiculous as well. I thought the 'intent' of DBT was to kill the ball in areas where it is not easily/safely accessible by the defense (lodged in fence, into dugout, etc). That overthrow rebounded just fine, and, being right behind 1B, its going to see more than its share of overthrows.

I just don't get it.


BTW, Ive learned my lesson. I will never opine on softball rules again. :D

Assuming that was actually the rule, my disappointment/disgust was that no one would have called it dead except for an assistant coach having seen the same spot called dead in another game.

The umpires move the runner to 2B. The announcers stated that this area was declared out of play. I cannot see any other reason they would have moved the runner to 2B.

I'm missing your point.
Mine was that apparently "no one would have called it dead except for an assistant coach having seen the same spot called dead in another game".

Are we sure that was a GRD?
 

I heard the announcers say it was a ground rule double but I'm not positive their assumption was correct. The first baseman grabbed the batter-runner as she crossed first base. Why, I do not know. It's possible that obstruction was called, and that is why she was awarded 2nd base.
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Chris Hibler

My point was that you assumed it was actually the rule.

It seemed as if F3 was "tagging" the runner even though I'm pretty sure she knew she didn't have the ball. That aside, even if you assume OBS, there is no way in the world, under the most extreme circumstances, would the runner have safely reached 2B had the OBS not occured.