Obscure and Misinterpreted Rule Screws Over Softball Team

Published on: 6th May, 2009 @ 1:23 pm by JeffG

Want to know what’s worse than losing a game in a state tourney, over the nation’s #1 ranked team no less, on an obscure rule.

When the opposing coach points out the rule to the umps…and the rule is interpreted wrong.

That’s how Central Lakes College (CLC) lost their game against Rochester Community and Technical College in the Minnesota Junior College Athletic Conference state tournament this past Friday.

CLC had apparently won the game in the bottom of the seventh with a walk off home run by Ashly Erickson, who high-fived several excited teammates on her way to the plate with the winning run.

The good feelings ended after Rochester’s coach (and douche extraordinaire) Jean Musgjerd pulled out the rule book pointing out to the umps that handslapping teammates on the base paths is a no-no.

The game went to 9 innings, with CLC eventually losing and being knocked out of the tournament.

The worst part of all this is–the coach and umps got the rule wrong.  According to NCAA softball rules (which also govern NJCAA), the exact rule is: “Offensive team personnel, other than base coaches and runner(s), shall not touch a batter or base runner(s) who is legally running the bases on a dead-ball award until the player(s) contacts home plate. For a first offense, the umpire shall issue a warning to the offending team.”

In layman’s terms–CLC should’ve been issued a warning, and the home run (and win) should’ve counted.

Instead they were knocked out of the tournament.  [Star Tribune]

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