4/6 Minford 6 Athens 5 Final 11 innings

[Dandy Don]

How many games does OHSAA mandate the players sit for after an ejection during play?

[TRENCHFOOT]

I was wondering about the Tyson stuff as well. Knew it had something to do with biting but didn't know what happened. Thanks for the clarification, questionmark.

[VetteMan]

What stinks is the fact Athens and Minford played a great game Saturday...
The game did indeed have some moments.

In the Bottom of the 7th, Minford tried to win the Game by tagging up from 3rd on a fly ball to Centerfield. The Athens CF threw a frozen rope to the plate preventing the winning run and forcing extra innings...

As the Athens catcher attempted to stand up and show the ball to the Umpire a Minford player pulled him down to the ground. In the shuffle at home plate, the Athens catcher was bit on the forearm. Both teams met at Home plate as the Coaches and Umpires tried to put out the fire.

I have seen posters on here from Minford complaining and blaming the Umpire for the reason this game got out of hand. This is completely false, and both teams can thank the Umpire for not ejecting multiple players during the play as he was well within the rulebook, and just needed to collect his initial thoughts.

The Minford player was ejected for his part in starting the shuffle...

Athens was hitting in the Top of the 8th, and had 2 outs...at this point the Umpire went to the Athens coach and informed him that his catcher would too be ejected for the play at the plate. This was an error in applying the rule by the Umpire, but by all intentions was the right call. The Minford player was ejected for contact with another player outside the realm of normal play, and the Athens catcher was ejected (although late) for intent, by pushing his teammate aside and going after an opponent without making contact.

The dust finally settled, and in the 11th Athens came up short with the bases loaded and their #4 hitter sending a shot just short of the red wall in Right Center...

The problem with the way the game ended was that the Minford winning runner never touched the plate, the Umpire saw and so did the Athens players...the Umpire used an incorrect rule (by my understanding) in stating that Athens could not appeal because a player had left the field...

There was no way the Umpire was overturning that call and leaving the field without problems...

Good Baseball, Bad Finish...

Thank you, lol, geez I couldn't figure out what everyone was talking about. Now the Tyson reference makes sense.

I don't think that we would even be having this discussion, regardless of what players or how many players were ejected, if all of that would have taken place at the end of the 7th inn. The only problem I see is the 8th inn being started, and 2 outs occurring, and then trying to go back and correct something that happened the prior inning.

[93Bulldog]

The umpire at this game I am told is the guru and dean of Southern Ohio umpires. Had the State last year, and is as good as there is. I just still cannot get over how people want to keep blaming officials. Athens is the worst too, name the sport!!! If Athens could have not stranded so many runners or not given up so many unearned runs than nothing else would have mattered. instead, we need to bitch about the best umpire around.

Having a reputation for being a good ump or official does not make you impervious to mistakes, nor does is it disqualify you from criticism. If officials in the NBA, NFL and umps in MLB make mistakes every day, surely some high school ump from southern Ohio will make some too.

[questionmark]

The umpire at this game I am told is the guru and dean of Southern Ohio umpires. Had the State last year, and is as good as there is. I just still cannot get over how people want to keep blaming officials. Athens is the worst too, name the sport!!! If Athens could have not stranded so many runners or not given up so many unearned runs than nothing else would have mattered. instead, we need to bitch about the best umpire around.

Having a reputation for being a good ump or official does not make you impervious to mistakes, nor does is it disqualify you from criticism. If officials in the NBA, NFL and umps in MLB make mistakes every day, surely some high school ump from southern Ohio will make some too.

The Umpire in fact is probably one of the best Umpires I've ever come in contact with. Like 93 said, he is also Human just like the players & coaches on the field...I thought he handled himself quite well for the craziness that occurred between the 7th thru 11th innings as well as helping the coaches decide it wasn't in everyone's best interest to play the 2nd game of the double-header...trying to remember the rules of the game while having people outside the field can shake even the best times...and I know TheBarlowBandit loves to take jabs at Athens expense, and I'm sure he is just angry that Coach Bissell is no longer around in Mauraderland. But I thought the Umpire did one heckuva Job and is allowed a few mistakes considering all the factors that went into play...

To answer the question on why Athens probably won't schedule Minford in the near future...
Minford eliminated Athens in 2014 & 2015 from the OHSAA Play-Offs with a Super-Talented group.
In 2016 - a young Minford team was supposed to travel to Athens for a Double-Header. The Falcons Coach told the Athens Coach he didn't think they would be making the trip. Games Scheduled, just not wanting to come. The morning of the Double-Header rain was in the forecast but not a drop had fallen. All of the Athens Coaches and Parents worked on the field around 8am getting it ready. Minford called and officially cancelled leaving Athens gameless on a beautiful Saturday...so the Athens Coach got his JV Team their and the Bulldogs played an intrasquad. I know Coach Stewart and Staff were not happy spending all morning field prepping and then the team not showing up...
In 2017 Athens didn't schedule Minford...
In 2018 Minford again was to make the trip to Athens to start the season. The night before, they called to inform the Athens Coaches that they didn't want to play two and would come up for only 1 game. Again, wasting another Double-Header Saturday with only so many opportunities...

In 2019, see topic*

Don't think Athens and Minford will see each other next season on the Diamond.

[BondRoad Bandit]

What stinks is the fact Athens and Minford played a great game Saturday...
The game did indeed have some moments.

In the Bottom of the 7th, Minford tried to win the Game by tagging up from 3rd on a fly ball to Centerfield. The Athens CF threw a frozen rope to the plate preventing the winning run and forcing extra innings...

As the Athens catcher attempted to stand up and show the ball to the Umpire a Minford player pulled him down to the ground. In the shuffle at home plate, the Athens catcher was bit on the forearm. Both teams met at Home plate as the Coaches and Umpires tried to put out the fire.

I have seen posters on here from Minford complaining and blaming the Umpire for the reason this game got out of hand. This is completely false, and both teams can thank the Umpire for not ejecting multiple players during the play as he was well within the rulebook, and just needed to collect his initial thoughts.

The Minford player was ejected for his part in starting the shuffle...

Athens was hitting in the Top of the 8th, and had 2 outs...at this point the Umpire went to the Athens coach and informed him that his catcher would too be ejected for the play at the plate. This was an error in applying the rule by the Umpire, but by all intentions was the right call. The Minford player was ejected for contact with another player outside the realm of normal play, and the Athens catcher was ejected (although late) for intent, by pushing his teammate aside and going after an opponent without making contact.

The dust finally settled, and in the 11th Athens came up short with the bases loaded and their #4 hitter sending a shot just short of the red wall in Right Center...

The problem with the way the game ended was that the Minford winning runner never touched the plate, the Umpire saw and so did the Athens players...the Umpire used an incorrect rule (by my understanding) in stating that Athens could not appeal because a player had left the field...

There was no way the Umpire was overturning that call and leaving the field without problems...

Good Baseball, Bad Finish...

100% did not grab the player and pull him down they got tangled up and in each other’s face. The catcher got up showed the ball to the ump and they got their legs tangled the catcher got in the face of the minford player and thats when they were separated the catcher went back into the dugout and magically had a bite mark on his glove hand lol zero chance he bit anyone that’s just dumbfounding to believe anyone would do that lol again I don’t think anyone should’ve been ejected it was a big play in a emotional game. And wasn’t this Athens second player to get ejected?

[Poo Bear]

My question would be if a player got bit wouldn’t it be obvious to everyone watching . Biting someone is something that’s not easily hidden . Second if a player got bit wouldn’t he have an instant reaction form the pain , a wimper or even a reaction to fight ?

On the flip side who would go in the dugout and fake a bite mark ?

If the umpire didn’t see the player bite the other player how can he kick him out ? I would imagine an ump would have to see that infraction ?

This is so bizarre I don’t know what to believe !

[questionmark]

Irrelevant that Athens had a player learn the hard lesson of saying anything about balls & strikes in an earlier game...simply do not argue, he lived and he learned...

PooBear-
Going off what I saw and what I heard the Umpire say.
Minford player ejected for pulling catcher to the ground. Reason he was ejected 1st. The Umpire told Athens he saw the players on the dirt but didn't see the bite happen. (Did include it in the OHSAA report from what I was told.)
Athens player ejected after 2 outs in the Top of 8th, Umpire reasoning after time to think about the play, that he must include the Athens catcher because of his intent for going after an opponent...

I'll tell you and everyone else, if you watched the catcher reaction something happened to cause him to get angry and react.

Both teams lucky that multiple ejections didn't occur...
Smart not to Play Game 2...
Good Baseball Game, Bad Ending...

[HamPorter]

Wait, so has Athens now had 3 players ejected so far this year? That’s insane and unacceptable.

[questionmark]

Athens with Saturday's game has had 2 players ejected. Pretty sure no Coach likes seeing a player removed from a game...could have been a whole lot worse if the Umpire went with his initial reactions...and well within his right

One vs. Zane Trace for questing balls/strikes...learned the hard way
One vs. Minford for intent for reacting to opponent ...again, learned the hard way...

Both teams will learn from this...both Solid Baseball programs.
Gotta control those emotions! Baseball is so much a mental game as it is physical...

Once again, Good Game...Bad Ending

[Fly High Falcon27]

Not a chance the runner missed home plate, he not only touched home plate but he rolled over top of it.
Athens forfeited the second game because it was a “hostile environment”.

[Bozo]

No such thing as a forfeit in Ohio High School baseball unless it is in a tournament game.

[Pol pot]

Not a chance the runner missed home plate, he not only touched home plate but he rolled over top of it.
Athens forfeited the second game because it was a “hostile environment”.

You may want to read up on rules and policies so you sound a bit more educated on the topic at hand. There is NO forfeit for this type of situation.

[Cincinnati1988]

My personal thoughts on the game-
My son plays for another team in the TVC that is not Athens, I went to the game, it was very emotional and had a very dramatic 7th inning.
From the stands on the Minford side of the field I saw the runner run home, the catcher had caught the ball, blocked the plate (which is allowed as long as you have the ball) and tagged the runner out, the umpire had told the catcher to show him the ball, The base runner on Minford had tried to slap the ball out of his mit, he then wrapped his legs and rolled with him onto the ground. In the act of all this the catcher DID GET BIT BY THE MINFORD PLAYER.
He stood up and aggressively yelled at the player and by this time the Athens catcher was being dragged by teammates back to the bench, as soon as he gets to the dugout he shows a coach his bite marks and they go out to show the umpire, he did go into the dugout but I've seen Athens baseball play for years and have never heard of this player act out like that. although he went in the dugout, within seconds he was back out, with a coach so yes he went in there to get a coach to go back out onto the field to show the umpire. both players end up out of the game, Athens is in fault, it should have been only the minford player or no one. Crazy game.

[Poo Bear]

My personal thoughts on the game-
My son plays for another team in the TVC that is not Athens, I went to the game, it was very emotional and had a very dramatic 7th inning.
From the stands on the Minford side of the field I saw the runner run home, the catcher had caught the ball, blocked the plate (which is allowed as long as you have the ball) and tagged the runner out, the umpire had told the catcher to show him the ball, The base runner on Minford had tried to slap the ball out of his mit, he then wrapped his legs and rolled with him onto the ground. In the act of all this the catcher DID GET BIT BY THE MINFORD PLAYER.
He stood up and aggressively yelled at the player and by this time the Athens catcher was being dragged by teammates back to the bench, as soon as he gets to the dugout he shows a coach his bite marks and they go out to show the umpire, he did go into the dugout but I've seen Athens baseball play for years and have never heard of this player act out like that. although he went in the dugout, within seconds he was back out, with a coach so yes he went in there to get a coach to go back out onto the field to show the umpire. both players end up out of the game, Athens is in fault, it should have been only the minford player or no one. Crazy game.

Thank you for painting a good picture of what happened.

[feeling unwanted]

My personal thoughts on the whole game for what they are worth.
First off, this was an excellent game. Second, I was at this game, and by no means did the umpire behind the plate lose control of anything. Both teams should be thanking him for not ejecting multiple people from both sides. To say that there was a biting incident for a 100% fact cannot be done. I was sitting in a very good seat to be able to see that, and I did not see it. However what I did see, was the fact that the runner was dead to rights at home and as the catcher tried to show the umpire he had the ball, the runner attempted to wrap the catcher up and tried to flip him off his feet. The umpire judged that to be malicious contact, which in high school baseball is an ejection. With everything going on around the plate, there is no wonder the umpire may have lost focus on what for sure the catcher did after that, because both teams had spilled out onto the field. Once the dust settled, play resumed. There was a get that was hurt sliding into second and at this point the two umpires met in the middle of the field while the trainer was attending the runner at 2nd. After the two umpires talked, they spoke for a few moments to the Athens coach, and my guess is that they were informing him that they were also going to eject the catcher. Don't know for sure, just a guess. At the end of the day, the correct call was made on this play, that should be the goal.
The umpire did misapply a rule at the end of the game, which is misfortunate, but he is human. Hopefully he learns from it and doesn't make that mistake again.

Again, what a game!!! Good Luck to both teams throughout the rest of the year!!