Day 6: First Base
Ok, I want to start with an event that happened in yesterday’s
game that is really funny – two actually.
I don’t think I mentioned either one.
First game yesterday and I am at first base. I had the chance to ask the right fielder if
they had a team pin. He confirmed they
did and I said I’d love to trade one. He
said he would bring one out in the next inning.
Next inning he says, “oh, I forgot.”
No problem, you can bring it out next inning. By the way, here’s my pin. Cool.
So next inning, I’m at first and the kid comes up to
bat. His coach gives him the pin and
tells him, “You’ve got to reach first somehow to give it to him.” So the kid strikes out but the third strike
is in the dirt. Problem is that first
base is occupied so as he is running down to first base, I am pounding him out
with a “he’s out, he’s out, he’s still out.”
He runs to the base and stops in front of me, pulls out the pin, hands
it to me and runs back to the dugout.
Everyone got a kick out of that.
Good thing the game did not affect the semi-finals as Oregon and
Northwood were both out of the picture by this point. It was probably the second funniest thing to
happen to me this tournament.
The first happened when I was at the plate. It was the top of the third inning, first
pitch of the inning. The curve ball was
so beautiful that I began my strike three call, caught myself and put the
hammer up for strike one. For the most
part, nobody by my base umpires and the announcer caught it but we all had big
smiles on our faces after that. Not even
a two-strike punchout, a one pitch punchout.
First time I’ve ever done that.
So on to today.
The game was Northern California vs. Hawaii. In my mind, Hawaii was going to win the game,
probably in 5 by mercy. That is why we
play the game though. The pitcher for
Northern California was throwing bb’s. Hawaii
couldn’t really hit him at all today. So
Northern California scores one in the first.
In the bottom of the first, Hawaii has 1 out and a runner on 2nd
and third. The batter hits a pop fly to
center that looks like it is going to be a nice sacrifice fly. Centerfielder winds up and guns it home,
beating the runner by a couple of steps for the third out at the plate. So the game goes scoreless through 4. In the bottom of the 5th Hawaii
finally pushed a run across. So it is
1-1 through 6. Through 7. Through 8.
In the bottom of the 8th, Hawaii has 2nd and 3rd,
2 outs. The catcher bobbles a ball
behind the plate and the runner on 3rd begins charging home. The catcher throws to third and now has the
runner in a pickle. The runner is daring
the players to throw the ball and gets tagged by the pitcher on the way
home. Inning over. In the 9th Hawaii starts off the
inning with a kid hitting a blast to centerfield. He starts his homerun trot with hands extended
and thumbs up when the ball gets pushed by the wind and stays in the
field. He has to book it and slides into
second base, safe only because the shortstop cannot handle the throw from
center. Well, Hawaii works him over to
third and he scores on a passed ball.
Game over. 9 innings, 2-1. Best game of the entire tournament.
Second game I was behind the gate watching. Arizona played their heart out and sent
Lennox home. Ultimately, today proved
that this is why you play the game. So
tomorrow’s game is Arizona vs. Hawaii, a rematch of the game I had behind the
plate on Sunday. Tomorrow the game is at
11 am and I am on 2nd base for the championship game. I am humbled to be there with so many great
umpires at this tournament. Matt French
is behind the dish and will do a fantastic job.
He is a great umpire and will do
us all proud.
This has been a great end of my favorite year of umpiring
yet. The kids, the coaches, the
tournament staff and my fellow umpires have all been great – not a single ego
on the umpire staff that gets hurt. We
all love doing this so I love working with this crew. I am excited to work tomorrow and send one of
these teams off to Livermore.
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