I don't want this to sound like I am crying, or being a homer, but the decision to start Monday's Lancaster-Lebanon League softball playoff game between the Columbia Crimson Tide and Donegal Indians was a huge error in judgment.
I'd be saying the same thing whether or not Columbia was playing. For these girls and their coaches, it was a chance to possibly play for a league championship. How many chances does a team get the opportunity to do so? Well, in the Tide's case, it was their first chance.
I got to Willow Street about 15 minutes before the first pitch and it was already raining. And it just got worse. By the time the game was called, Columbia pitcher Emily Detz had dropped a pitch on the mound and to use an expression by Chris Wheeler, fired a 100 hopper to the plate. And the puddles were visible on the infield.
By the time the umpires called the game, Donegal led 4-0. As anyone knows, in high school softball, that's a huge lead to overcome.
Both teams deserved a chance to play under better circumstances. It was a huge error in judgment by the L-L League even starting the game. Not just because of the weather, but player safety as well.
I understand there was an attempt made to ask for the game to be restarted, which was turned down by a higher power (PIAA), which again is a shame.
I do think I know what I am talking about regarding this issue. Until a few years ago, I was active in youth sports not only Columbia but in Lancaster County as well. I coached, umpired and ran a well respected youth baseball tournament. I understand the rules as far as who is in charge before a game or tournament starts; who is in charge once a game begins, etc.
Again, I don't want to make this sound like sour grapes or for someone to say “its just Columbia, who cares” and if that's how people think, so be it. But I disagree with the decision to start this game because of what was at stake.
8 comments:
I agree with you Barry, with the conditions the way they where and no sign of it getting better the game should never have been started.
I think the softball coach should have prepared his team for the terrible elements. Not every game will be played in bone dry, perfect conditions. Seeing that this week was going to be rain filled, their coach did a poor job getting them used to the wet conditions that they may have to play in. Hopefully if districts runs into similar weather, it's a lesson learned.
I find it hard to believe, in this day of techonlogy, no one checked a weather radar. With it raining before the game started, a quick check would have revealed the rain was not just a passing shower and that starting the game was futile.
What a waste. Such an outstanding season and it has to end like that.
Not the end of the season -- districts start Thursday.
Agree that the game should never have been started but hind site is 20/20 vision. Was not there but have been involved in a few "rain" games to know. If this situation happens again coaches, have the players drag it out, miss throws, "muddy" the ball, etc. Hard to prove doing it on purpose when a "wet" ball is hard to handle......
Well, I never played softball but as a former baseball player, I have no idea how you prepare for wet weather. I played ball in drizzle and wet fields and you just played the game like you would any other game. Maybe the pitcher uses the rosin bag and the batters use a little extra pine tar but other then that????
I think the problem in this matter is that no one used good common sense and realized there was no way the game was going to be completed and should not have been started in the first place.
For the record: It was not raining when the game started; when the first batter for Donegal popped up to short, then it started raining - hard. The game probably should have been stopped at that point, but the umps kept them out there. And then came Detz's "100 hopper" to home. They game should have been stopped right then and there, but I think once the game got going, the umps were going to do everything they could to play through it. L-L softball chair Dan Baughman did everything he could and waited as long as he could, but once the lineups were handed out, it was out of his hands. I feel bad for both teams. And I can see why the Columbia folks are upset; this is their best team, well, ever.
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