Premier homerun/out??

[sportzjunky]

If that's the way you "read it", I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what it is you're reading. This is nothing at all like the NFL ruling on a catch and I'm not sure what you could read in a rule book that would make you think that.

Football: Receiver establishes both feet in-bounds, leaps, catches the ball in the air, then lands out of bounds. No catch/incomplete.

Softball: Fielder establishes both feet in-bounds, leaps, catches the ball in the air, then lands out of bounds. Catch/batter is out.

hum. then by that definition the second play and the home run was an out, im my view, because that kid had both feet planted, jumped up at the "wall" and came down with the ball on the fence and flat on the ground? She didnt go thru it persay, it was more of a jump up and come down in my view. Just she was jumping toward the wall...

I was was reading it as long as she ends up with the ball+ any part of both feet on grass before any fence in play its an out. guess ill keep trying to figure it out..

Is this black or white or is there grey?

[Bretman]

The rule is black and white. You might say that the "grey area" is what the umpire making the call actually saw, or thinks he saw, and how he judged it.

From the NFHS rule book:

Rule 2-9-4 (Catch): For a legal catch, the fieler must catch and have secure possession of the ball before stepping, touching or falling into a dead-ball area. A fielder who falls through or over the fence after making a catch shall be credited with the catch. A fielder who catches the ball while contacting or stepping on a collapsible fence, which is not completely horizontal, is credited with a catch.

[MTR]

There were two catches of similar nature in the game. The first was ruled a catch and the second a HR. The difference I saw between the two was in the first case the the fielder went through the fence in the process of catching the ball, the fence wound up on the ground and the fielder was on top of it. In the second case, the one ruled a HR, the fielder came to the edge of the fence, jumped up and back to make the catch, and wound up with her body partially on the ground past the fence.
I had forgotten that they were even playing under NFHS rules at the time and I don't really know those rules.

The only difference that needs to be considered is whether the fence was on the ground prior to the fielder being on top of it prior to catching the ball.

I'm sort of surprised I cannot find a clip of it.

[weekend4trvl]

That call should have been reviewable ( instant replay). I'm sure we'll get some still photo's on the bucket soon. What I recalll... the first catch ( the out ) F8 caught the ball then went through the fence. The second catch (HR),she went though the fence than caught the ball. She had to knock down the fence in order to catch the ball... bang bang play , very tough to call.

[tcannizzo]

They replayed it about 10 times, but the only view was the camera behind home plate. The shadows at sunset made it impossible to see what really happened. The umpire was making the home run call from deep in the outfield - what looked like only about 30-40 feet from the fence and from about a 45 degree angle from the play. This indicates to me that he had a pretty good angle. The question then becomes about the interpretation of the rule.

[ontheblack]

I have looked at this frame by frame. It appears that she made contact with the fence when the ball was in flight just below the bottom of the scoreboard. She was knocking the fence down as she was in the air. The catch was made while she was in the air and the fence was at about a 45 degree angle.

Blue's angle is from the side, so perhaps from his view it looked like she doesnt get to the ball without going through the fence.

[residentump]

Friends, colleagues and softball fans,

My ruling in Saturday's game was incorrect. From my angle, while in pursuit of the ball, the centerfielder knocked the fence down while jumping for the ball. While in flight, the player contacted the fence with her right foot before catching the ball. Under NFHS rules, contacting the fence while it is still on its way down in considered to be in live ball territory. This should have been ruled a catch. I was wrong.

I am saddened to think that this decision on my part has become the focus of this event. This past week, the best ballplayers and best teams in the country showed us some incredible softball. The championship game should have been a display of the best of the best athletes competing at the highest level. It should not have been determined by the incorrect descision of an umpire. The play of Brittany Clopton was of the highest order, and I denied her that privledge.

I apologize to the fans, participants and staff of the SoCal Athletics and the Impact Gold along with the event organizers. This event should have been about them, not about the umpires. Mr. Jackson and the rest of the Impact Gold staff should be applauded for their handling of the situation.

Smokey

[okla21fan]

You called what you saw at that the time.... you are an umpire.

You are a special breed.

You are appreciated. and thank you for all that you do.

[PDad]

I commend ResidentUmp for making that post - very classy and humble.

He's welcome to work any of our games, any time.

[Onemoreblue]

Your honesty is what officiating is all about.

You continue to be a world class umpire!