lower level games

[greymule]

Last weekend, I did a 14u tournament that was actually won by a strong 12u team. In the first game of the weekend, the 12u team got way up, and with 2 outs in the bottom of the 5th, their 3B coach called to me, "Watch my runner." The girl trotted off the base well before the release so that I could call her out.

A couple of years ago, my partner directed the coach of a team that was way ahead to start his runner on 1B early for the same reason.

I once had a ridiculously mismatched school FP game that was out of control by more than 20 runs in the 3d inning, but the leading team didn't let up. When a girl tried to steal 3B on a throw back to the pitcher, the throw to 3B beat her but she slid under F5's pathetic attempt at a tag. I called an out anyway, and the coach had the nerve to cry about it.

As we all know, at the top levels of slow pitch, Team A can beat Team B by 20 runs in the morning and then lose to Team B by 20 runs in the afternoon. I've seen players on even the best teams get purposely doubled off at the end of a blowout on a hot day. Once, a team that was losing 38-23 in the seventh hit three blasts far over the fence for three over-the-home-run-limit outs.