JV game story
 

Last night I had a JV game. Wasn't expecting a good game as far as quality of play and I got just what I expected. At the start of the game home team had several players on the field that couldn't make routine plays. They are down 10-0 after 3 innings due in large part to poor defense. They make their substitutions, and now they have girls on the field that can catch and throw decently. They only give up one run the rest of the game. Problem is they just can't hit.

It's 11-0 going into the B6th and visitor brings a new pitcher into the game. We are about 4 minutes till 1:45 (no new) when B6th begins. After many walks and wild pitches, and a pitching change to another ineffective pitcher, the score is 11-9 and the bases are loaded and visitor can't get the last out. The whole fan section for both sides was buzzing on every pitch. I had several close plays at the plate on the wild pitches with the pitcher coming in to cover.

The catcher injures herself crashing into the fence chasing down a wild pitch and I look at my watch and it's past drop dead time (2 hr).

I tell the coaches "game over."

I know most umpires just want to get off the field after 2 hours but I would have loved to see this game have a true ending. I felt like I had an "investment" in the game having worked so hard and was sorry it had to end that way.

This is a nice story, but I have to ask:

With a 10-0 lead after 5, why did you play the 6th?

Maybe cause their run rule is not 10 after 5. In one of our districts, the run rule is 15 after 5.

Serg

*blink*

Ouch. 15 after 5?!

Sorry about that. I thought NFHS published a standard of 10 after 5. A review of the book shows my error. It's actually in the SCHSL rules.

And, fortunately, 10 after 5 is the FHSAA rule, also.
In fact I heard a rumor that they were going to add 15 after 3..

Run rule in that district is 15 after 5. The coaches all seem to know it. I told my UIC the story and she said that it there is no game following I don't have to honor the drop dead time limit (which is almost always the case).

Well, if I mention it in the plate conf, I sure can't say I changed my mind @ 2 hours. If I don't say anything about it at the plate conf, she's saying I have the option to do whatever I want to do, but I think the chance is real good that the coach with the lead challenges me if I say "keep playing."

I think I'll just continue to cover the no new, and drop dead in the plate conf (If I have to do more JV games, that is).

I'm also sorry you had to end that game. It sounds like you could still have that game on.
Some games you don't want ever to end. That can because it's so close between the two teams that a winner can't be determented or you're so good into the game (flow) that you don't want to wake up out of that game.
My longest game was in Bulgaria (summer 2008), 2:45h for 7 complete innings. It was about 40C in the shade, no wind nor shade on the field. We worked in 3umpire system and I had the luck to be PU. Man, was I glad that game finaly ended!

It's more than a rumor, Hugo. At the March Officials Advisory Committee meeting I proposed that we add a "15 after 3" run rule in FL. It was approved unanimously by the OAC. Then it went to the Athletic Directors Committee. They also approved it. Now it has to go through both committees again next year. If it passes both committees again in 2011, the FHSAA Board of Directors should approve the change, which may be in place for the 2012 season. :cool:

We are using it already in WI if conferences adopt it as a conference rule, or if both coaches agree at the pre-game captains meeting. So far about 65%- 70% are using it.

Ok
 

Alright, first off - a drop dead time to end the game (unless there's a curfew somewhere) is insane. Giving an unequal number of outs to one team is completely anathema to the game.

Second - what your UIC told you was worse... leaving it to the UMPIRE to decide whether to play on or not? That's completely asinine.