USFA Tourney this weekend

[MD Longhorn]

Had a great time this weekend - 10 games over Sat/Sun.

Highlights: 10U centerfielder charges a ball, fires to first on a rope for the elusive 8-3 out. Batter drills the pitcher on the foot, ball goes straight up, pitcher goes down in pain, ball lands on pitcher and F3 dives for it, catching it just before it hit the ground. Yurout!

Lowlight: Solid 3-2 game, home ahead, visitor desperately trying to get 3 outs before time runs out. Partner signals me to watch the clock as we're down to seconds with 2 outs. Clock runs out as the pitch is in the air. Defense gets the out and partner calls ballgame. VC goes nuts - the new inning starts when the 3rd out is made. Yes, sir - but time was out before that - literally while the pitch is in the air. "Then why didn't you call ballgame?" "Coach, we're not going to call ballgame while a play is going on." Coach comes completely unglued, insisting that if time had expired we are REQUIRED to kill the play immediately. OK, whatever...

That said ... 10 games with only 1 coach outburst, and amazingly well behaved fans all around (in my games at least). A great time had by all.

(On another field, coach wasted the last 10 minutes of a POOL GAME trying to protest a judgement call. a POOL GAME! Good grief, glad that wasn't my game).