Team Loses Championship After Uncaught Third Strike Due to Premature Celebration 

“Big and long like I like them to be” f-ing classic!

Second baseman is gonna be seething over this for the rest of his life. Only one on the field who knew what was going on.

The placing of the baseball into his back pocket by the catcher adds another element to this play too.

This has nothing to do with umps, the catcher should have tossed it to first anyway. Just to be sure.

For a high school championship, this is pretty terrible baseball

This will be a game that the Red Raiders will remember.

Like Yogi said, it ain’t over till it’s over. Congratulations to the Pal-Mac kids on being very heads up and congratulations to Coach Rodman on his first sectional championship victory

The catcher saw the umpires safe call. Just after the 3:00 mark you can clearly see the catcher give the same signal. I think he misinterpreted the umpires call, for whatever reason, and started to celebrate.

Catcher was looking right at the umpire's safe signal.

I didn't notice this initially, but when 2B went running to catcher to find the ball, at 3:01, catcher responds by signaling "safe". It sure looks like C saw the umpire mechanic by mimicking in a "you said.." sort of way, but he failed to properly interpret/understand the signal.

One of my favorite youtube compilations are early celebrations. This will get added to those quick.

I just don’t understand what the catcher was thinking. He even looked back for confirmation and then decided to ignore the information given to him…I hope he gets over it though. What’s done cannot be undone

Awesome. Great job by CloseCallSports. Terrible call on the third strike, clearly a ball, but all the errors made by Hornell show that, even before the dropped 3rd-strike blunder, the players blew it many times.

Not only was the call valid, the catcher should have kept a more heads up approach until he heard the umpire call for the end of the game. I know not hearing that while base running has helped my team take the lead or at least stay in the game for the time being.

When I was a kid, my mom was a softball coach. One of her biggest rules was to have the catcher tag the batter after a third strike, no matter what.

catcher blew it

Great awareness by Pal-Max taking an opportunity that presented itself. They for sure thought they had lost but turned a losing situation into the game winning decision for the championship. That’s gotta be a hell of a feeling for that team. Sucks for the other team, to have a victory snatched right from your hands 😅

The catcher was more worried about putting the ball in his back pocket. At that point the game was over. Great awareness by Pal-Mac. The errors in the bottom of the 7th is what really lost this game.

HS baseball. Young men who turn into 'lil boys at the darndest times. Umpires never know what you are going to get. Expect feats of wonder and skill. Expect weirdness and confusion. And then Lindsay adds her sublime wit at the end, bada boom! Love this channel.

I don't think that first ball was intentionally dropped. And the defense only got one out on the play. And I don't think they gained an advantage by getting R1 on the force. So I agree with the no-call. EXCELLENT CALL by PU on the no-move "hit by pitch". None of the other channels showed how the pitcher could have ended this game a few batters earlier on an easy pop up.... that makes me have even less pity.. Umps had an excellent game, it seems. Nice when our guys rise to the occasion in a championship game.

I kind of feel bad for the umpires here. That was painful to have to watch, and their watching, knowing in real time what is happening and what it’s going to mean.

Great breakdown! Thank you for this. Enjoy your day!

Lindsey, please address the catcher putting the ball in his pocket.

Lindsey, I'm not sure there was an actual tag attempt. I've seen it many times and I think the catcher gave up tagging and just pointed to the runner occupying first base, as if there would be an automatic batter out. That's why he didn't wait for the umpire's confirmation.

I feel for the catcher. I lost a game in American Legion in the day, i still think about it. Its dumb. He's going to remember this for the rest of his life. It gets better, better things will happen.

I love your channel, but you owe me a new keyboard after the "not big and long the way I like things to be" line at the end. (I know... I'm a 12 year old 53 year old.)

Those coaches who were objecting to the call with the umpire have themselves to blame. The fact that the batter didn't turn around and object to the call, only shows you that his coaches 'taught' the game and the kids understood the situation. Mental Baseball at its best. (The pitch looked low and inside to me, but that's not the issue once the catcher dropped the ball.). The field umpire was excellent too. Note that through all the confusion, he's making sure he sees the runners touching the bases. Can you imagine the mess they would have had if the winning run hadn't touched home plate when he came in? Umpires at that point have to consider interference rules, since so many people not involved with the play were now out on the diamond. You'd have to consider the appeal because you have to appeal the play with a live ball, but you cannot have a live ball if coaches and bench players are swarming the field. The lesson here is that THIS is what makes the difference between teams that win games and winning teams. Winning teams communicate with one another. Note that defensive teams second-baseman. He IS aware of the situation. He IS aware of the urgency. No one is listening to him. On the other hand, while they are celebrating, the 3rd base coach remains visible to the runners, waving them frantically around the bases. (You don't see him in the video, but you know he is locked in as his guys circle the bases!). One thing you typically see in the majors is the pop up is played by one of the infielders, never the pitcher. But in this sequence, the second out was dropped by the pitcher and no one called him off of the ball. Again, coaching is to blame. They won't want to hear it, but the game highlights tell the story. If I were the head-coach, I would gather the parents and the boys together and take full responsibility for the loss. I spend one hour a week - sometimes more - doing nothing but classroom baseball. We diagram how outfielders should play. We discuss the roles of the cut-off guy and the relay guy. We work on the wheel play as a defense against the bunt. We map out pick-off throws, how a run-down should look on a chalkboard, and the balk. Some players find this way of learning super helpful - especially if they are seeing the play develop from above. The coaches of the losing team clearly need more of this. Concept-based baseball! Teach them what to do in certain situations, understanding the rules, knowing what your teammate is going to do and the capability of each player on the field - for both your team AND the one you are playing against!

This is an excellent and correct analysis all the way around. You sure know your game. Thank you.

I used to be a catcher and was taught no matter what you always threw to first base

I think the fan was saying “there’s two outs” because the dropped third strike rule only applies with a runner at 1st if there’s 2 outs

Great analysis! thank you !

I believe C thought batter was out because of the runner on 1st. That is why we hear “no, there’s 2 outs” from the stands.

Crazy all around. Probably wasn’t even a strike either.

This is from my high school's championship win. We were laughing hysterically after hearing this.

Great recap. The one thing I’ll add is that a HS umpire in Oregon we are instructed to give an emphatic safe signal, hold it and say nothing. I do agree that the plate umpire’s safe was not very emphatic but I don’t think for a second that this puts any fault on him.

Thank you for an excellent and thorough analysis!

I see what you did there at the end 😉(Great analysis as usual)

Can some expert please help explain to me what would be the official stat for the run(s) in this case? Is it as simple as inside the park hr? Or something ugly like a strikeout, catcher error, unearned run, and so forth.

The umpire removed his mask and wasn't even watching the plate when the runners scored.

The fact that that was called a strike should have a video of its own

Great review!

Question: When batter (#9) ran to first base, it did not appear like the guy on first base (go-ahead-run) started running for second base. It took about 9 seconds for him to appear running toward second, and it certainly does not take that long for a run from 1st to 2nd.. Was he in the dug-out (or off of first base somewhere) thinking the game was over? Or did he stay on first base? I am thinking he may have been in dug-out (or maybe #9 and him were on first base simultaneously). If so, would that affect the outcome? Would that mean they deviated outside running lane or somehow violated the rules resulting in an out? Can a player head toward the dug-out and then re-enter play? And what if #9 was on first before he re-entered? I am asking because everyone is focused on the action at home plate and the pither's mound, and not on the action at first base? I wonder if there is video of action at first base to confirm that the go-ahead-runner did not violate a rule resulting in an out.

In your analysis, you said the catcher didn’t see the umpire, make the call about the dropped third strike and then tag, assuming the batter was out. If you keep watching it, the catcher actually did see it because three times the catcher made the safe gesture towards the umpire after celebrating. Basically, the catcher is saying to the umpire, you made the safe signal. The catcher got confused, safe means safe, you didn’t tag him, not safe means out….

How did they choose the uniforms?

They may blame this play as to why they lost and it is definitively the icing on the cake but when you’re up 5-1 and you drop a pop fly in the state championship there’s obviously many more plays that could’ve been made to prevent all of this.

Poor coaching and instruction leads to poor performance and results. Even if the catcher thought he had applied the tag, he should have known to throw the ball to first base.

I was the umpire in this game on first base... I though we did this game professionally. I dont see anyone out on the ballfield lining up to do this job. Sign up to umpire a little legaue game or middle school or high school game. Then you can judge us after😊

We have the irregular. We have a large stakes game. When we have the irregular in a large stakes game, we have to sell the bejeebus out of ANYTHING that is unclear. The usual mechanic is to call the third strike (or swinging strike) and then verbalize, "No catch! No catch!" and pump a LARGE safe sign TWICE. You don't have to continue to sell the call when you see that the defense did not hear or see it the first time. You just need to make sure that first time that you sell that thing as big and loud as you have ever sold any call ever. Leave no doubt about what you called. F2 has his back to you, he cannot see your safe sign so, you have to use the big boy umpire voice to make sure he hears you.

Did the plate umpire (his back to plate 1/2 way to mound in fair territory) ever see final runs score? I would have appealed both final runs scoring.

Why did plate umpire walk out into infield and then let coach onto field in live ball situation? Terrible

They lost the game when the infield allowed the pitcher to try to catch a pop up. 3B and SS stood still and didn’t move.

can anyone explain "Section V Class B1 Baseball" in the state of NY? How large are the respective schools' enrollment? How many Sections exist? Is there an "A1" or "C1" level, which is better? Are there any D1 commits at the B1 level? Not all states categorize their high school levels the same so I am curious...

I disagree with your assessment that the catcher did not see the "no tag" call from the ump. He did see the call and in fact the catcher made the same motion to the 2nd basemen as if to say "it's alright, he said 'safe'". I think something else is going on here. The catcher saw the call from the ump but somehow in his head it was scrambled and misinterpreted because he wanted the game to be over.

A true test to see if you watch the whole video..yooo what did she sayyy

I still can't believe that pitch was called a strike.

Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but shouldn’t the ump call time once the ball gets back to the mound? I really don’t understand American ball sports.

Center fielder also raced in to cover home. He seemed to also know what was going on. The initial runner on first was real slow getting to second. Probably the batter and/or coach were yelling at him to move. He could have been forced at second if either the second baseman or center fielder had figured out where the ball was.

Great explanation on most of what happened BUT the reason the runner from 1st was out is because there was no Infield Fly Rule in effect. Must be runners on 1st and 2nd or bases loaded with less than 2 outs. The Ump did not call intentional drop (it wasn’t, it just wasn’t caught) he called the runner from 1st out on the force at 2nd. I saw nothing that I , as an Umpire, would have thought it was ‘intentionally dropped’. By the way, I will also say, as a Coach, I have reminded my players the Rule says you cannot intentionally drop it. It does NOT say you have to catch it. My players have intentionally NOT caught an Infield Fly several times. The batter is still out and if anyone tries to advance (someone will), they are susceptible to be put out. They must be tagged out since there is no force play. Perfectly legal. At my homeplate meeting I always told the umps ‘We don’t always catch the Infield Fly’ so I don’t set them up.

Why isn't anyone noticing that the catcher put the ball in his pocket? Doesn't that kill the play and give the runners 2 bases. That would only score one runner and leave the batter at third base.

“Hornell WINS it!!!” “Dewey Defeats Truman”

I don't think the signal was for a dropped third strike, rather a safe call that the catcher (knowing that the ball hit the ground) missed the tag. If it was the signal for DROPPED THIRD STRIKE it was very late and not immediate.

I remember in my High School games the ump wouldn't indicate unless asked and would say "ball is in play". But other than that ump wouldn't say anything

It's also worth pointing out in the ALCS play the ball was caught cleanly. It wasn't ruled that way, which I don't fault HP Umpire on, but the catcher knew it was caught and that's why he tossed the ball to the mound.

I thought Linsey saying she likes things big an king we’re a good pun

a few year from now that catcher would've said "if I just threw the ball to the 1st baseman after the last pitch"

in little league i was always taught to throw the ball to first base on situations like this just to confirm the out.

How was that last pitch called a strike? It looks like it was nearly in the dirt!

Mama always said a stupid is a stupid does lmao

All on the catcher. He wanted the ball more than the win.

What good is the Umpire's "Big and Long" when the catcher turns his head and not look? Ump was "safe" signaling, doing a "small and short" one, the catcher turned his head in the middle of it.

Lindsay, wise words at the end--re mechanics. 😉

The dropped pop-up early in the video was clearly NOT intentional, so the umpire's call is correct.

"Kids, gather around, let me tell you about the time I won the championship game with a walk-off, strike-out"

That is an incredible break down overshadowed by the last sentence! 😂😂😂

i'm just happy both teams got to celebrate the win

It looks like the catcher thought because first base was occupied the batter on the drop ball was out, but that does not apply with 2 outs.

I realized that it could have been even more fun if the second baseman found the ball and went to tag the batter-runner after he rounded first base. Were the umpires watching for when the other runner scored? Would they have known if the game was over or tied?

At least they got to enjoy it for a few moments

Great coaching on the offensive team. Run it out, no matter what the ump says.

I respectfully disagree with your take on this. I think what happened is that the catcher initially missed the tag, knew it, but then pivoted with his logic and believed that no play need be made because first was OCCUPIED. Of course with 2 outs it does not matter, the hitter runs on a dropped strike 3. That’s why the catcher didn’t throw it, he thought he didn’t need to, and the lack of reaction from the ump confirmed it. This was a team wide breakdown in not understanding the 3rd strike drop ball rule. I’m sure some players thought the tag was made but the catcher was not one of them. That’s why the second baseman was yelling “it’s 2 outs!”; meaning, that play is on.

Karma, because that was a horrific strike call.

U can hear the ump scream safe when he does the sign

Since there were two base runners ahead of #9 they technically won with him still on base. Had he been the second runner across the plate, that meant he would've had a walk off in the park home run off of a dropped 3rd strike 🤔🤯 not to mention they started a crazy comeback to get to that point!

How was that a strike????? The umpiring in Western New York baseball is awful

The batter/runner, the catcher, the second baseman, and the umpire all knew that the catcher did not make the tag.

As soon as the runner bolts for first, the catcher should THROW to the first baseman. The runner could have just walked back to the dugout.

The umpire has got to make that huge safe no catch no tag no tag

You are wrong about one thing, look at 4:58 the catcher is totally looking at the Ump. giving the safe signal.

I kind of feel sorry for the 2nd baseman. He was the only one paying attention. Pretty sure he was looking for the ball, but didn’t know the catcher put it in his pocket lol.

The ump screamed safe. I thought that was clear.

The narrator prefers it big and long from the umpires lol😂

The catcher blew it, period.

First time a team is probably arguing that a called 3 strike was actually a ball.

Im pretty sure you can hear the ump yell "safe" as he is doing the sign?!

It's amazing to me that this is a high school baseball championship...the quality of play is right up there with little league

WHERE the HELL was the home plate umpire GOING after he gave the “safe” sign? TWO runners were STILL active!!!

I understand the analysis regarding how 'demonstrative' (or not) the home-plate umpire was regarding the call. However, the catcher knew that he didn't catch the ball cleanly and that he needed to tag the runner. Despite the catcher's claims that he actually tagged the runner, the catcher should have ensure the runner was out by throwing to first. He didn't, but instead pocketed the ball and started celebrating while the other team scored the tying and winning runs. Bottom line is, if you're not absolutely certain that the umpires have made a call in your favor, then keep playing.

one thing the narrator does not notice is catcher put ball in his back pocket and this is why no one could tag any player as they ran the bases.

Great analysis.

Hornell deserved to lose. Up 5-1 in the bottom of the 7th. You drop 2 easy pop ups. Gave the other team 5 or 6 extra outs that inning.