Softball vs. Kentucky - game 2

[WarTiger 3,901]

Fornis checks in the game and I believe is in right.

[WarTiger 3,901]

Strike out to open the 7th. 1 out.

[au75 75]

one down two to go.

[WarTiger 3,901]

Strikeout again. 2 outs...

[telling tiger 156]

Come on ladies, close it out....WDE!!!

[WarTiger 3,901]

Called strike 3....FINAL. Auburn wins 6-5. Goes for the sweep tomorrow.

[au75 75]

Great game ladies....

[MDM4AU 332]

WDE, ladies!!!

[AU64 10,122]

Gutsy finish by Rachael Walter....and Tigers win 6-5....crazy day but a good win over a 12th ranked team on their home field.

[augolf1716 21,106]

wow :timeout:

[all4AU 379]

War Eagle, ladies! Way to survive and get the win! Getting the series at #12 is huge. Let's get the sweep tomorrow!

[around4ever 4,139]

I was watching the game and stepped away for a few minutes and came back about 15 minutes into the delay. I never could get a good understanding of what Coach Myers was protesting. Was it the Flex (pitcher) batting for the DP or another player?

[mustache eagle 2,397]

I swear ... Early in the game they had the first short delay and I thought I saw the home plate ump say "it was my fault" to coach Myers.

Wonder if the ump let something happen and never corrected it. Over the last couple years it seems that Myers uses the rule book to auburn's adcantage similar to a basketball coach calling a TO.

But it always seems as though Myers is correct.

[AU64 10,122]

I swear ... Early in the game they had the first short delay and I thought I saw the home plate ump say "it was my fault" to coach Myers.

Wonder if the ump let something happen and never corrected it. Over the last couple years it seems that Myers uses the rule book to auburn's adcantage similar to a basketball coach calling a TO.

But it always seems as though Myers is correct.

He does seem to know the rule book and is happy to inform the umps and opposing coaches when something is questionable. Bobby Cox just went out and screamed until he got tossed.....CCM obviously went to anger management class and knows how to deal with issues and keep his cool.

[WarTiger 3,901]

I was watching the game and stepped away for a few minutes and came back about 15 minutes into the delay. I never could get a good understanding of what Coach Myers was protesting. Was it the Flex (pitcher) batting for the DP or another player?

Apparently so. Best I can tell it was about a entry/re-entry of a player based on the Flex and/or Designated Player situation. I'm not that well versed on how that all works but if that was the case, then it was very apparent that whatever Myers said, it drew some doubt from the entire umpiring crew. I understand why they handle it the way they do, but it would seem to make more logical sense to start playing the game again once the protest is filed. Fortunately, Auburn won the game so the protest is automatically dropped as I understand it.

Apparently the protocol is to determine a correct and final ruling even if that means the lengthy delay we had in the game today and even if that means calling the SEC rule interpreter or even the national rule interpreter to get the ruling as was the case today.

[GBAU83 212]

As a high school softball official, I will add what I can tell from watching some of the replay. It was use of the DP/Flex and substitution. College may be a little different than high school, but here is what I believe was the case:

Steed in the lineup as the DP (which means her job is to play offense)

Nunnely in the lineup as the Flex (which means she plays defense, if she bats it can only be for the DP-Steed)

In the second inning, Nunnely bats for Steed. This is legal but is a substitution because the DP-Steed who should be batting is not batting).

In the third inning, Howard on first, Carosone hits the ball to 1st base, being played by DP-Steed and makes an out. Coach Myers then calls time and goes to discuss with the umpire - some discussion and you can see the umpire say "my fault". Another time they show Kentucky coach talking with Corey Myers and looks like she is talking about flipping them around. MY SUPPOSITION is that since Nunnely batted, she was entered and DP-Steed was out of the game. Then Kentucky put DP-Steed back in on defense but the Umpire failed to tell Auburn of the legal re-entry. The reason Myers called time at that point is once an unreported substitute makes a play on the ball, you can nullify the play and replay the pitch (Carosone would have gone back to bat with same count, Howard back to first) and then they could official re-enter the player. I believe Kentucky told the Ump, he failed to tell AU and that is what was his fault (Kentucky was legal, ump just failed to notify AU).

Let me finish watching the other innings and I will post what I think is a continuation of the DP substitution issue that Myers protested.

[ellitor 33,084]

Harper out with 2 illegal pitches. Do you think the umps are mad at AU?

No. Marcy has developed the illegal pitch yips. Her multiple IPs in 1 inning is a major reason we lost to Miss St in a game 2 weeks ago.

[GBAU83 212]

Okay, now move ahead to bottom of the fifth, and Kentucky makes a substitution and puts Nunnely (the flex) in to bat, which means the DP-Steed has been removed from the game as she (Steed) cannot re-enter.

The commentator even says Kentucky is now down to playing with 9 (terminology meaning the flex is in the game batting). He also states that they are done with the DP. That is not the case in high school as once you start with the DP/Flex, it is still available in the game, just in this case Steed is no longer eligible, but Kentucky can put another player in for Steed as the DP and Nunnely just goes back to playing defense. It may be different in college, but I don't think so.

After they come back, the commentator is able to say it was a substitution issue and may have also involved putting a player in for Steed as the new DP. All that was done by Kentucky was legal.

I guess I don't understand why it took 25 minutes for the umpires to get it right, maybe just took that much to convince Myers he was wrong.

And I do not know what they called the illegal pitches on Marcy Harper for, I didn't see it.

[ellitor 33,084]

I guess I don't understand why it took 25 minutes for the umpires to get it right, maybe just took that much to convince Myers he was wrong.

They stopped to get an immediate rule from the National Collegiate Rules Coordinator.

[tallgraycat 33]

I was reading on the basketball forum a discussion about whether a BS should be required to coach basketball at the college level, I am not sure about that, but after reading all this about the softball game yesterday, you darn sure need a PHD to coach softball. I was wondering what the delay was about, thanks for the information. If there is additional information regarding the game yesterday please post. It is both interesting and confusing.

[tallgraycat 33]

Harper out with 2 illegal pitches. Do you think the umps are mad at AU?

No. Marcy has developed the illegal pitch yips. Her multiple IPs in 1 inning is a major reason we lost to Miss St in a game 2 weeks ago.

Does anyone know (on this forum) what is she doing that is illegal?

[AU64 10,122]

Looked like she was trying to get more on her pitches and was definitely in front of the rubber when the ball left her hand...was kinda jumping toward the plate. Lexi does that also.

[tallgraycat 33]

Looked like she was trying to get more on her pitches and was definitely in front of the rubber when the ball left her hand...was kinda jumping toward the plate. Lexi does that also.

Thanks I had no clue.

[MDM4AU 332]

Looked like she was trying to get more on her pitches and was definitely in front of the rubber when the ball left her hand...was kinda jumping toward the plate. Lexi does that also.

Thanks.

[AU64 10,122]

Looked like she was trying to get more on her pitches and was definitely in front of the rubber when the ball left her hand...was kinda jumping toward the plate. Lexi does that also.

Thanks.

Sure...don;t know now closely this is called....Lexi got nailed quite a few times last year it seems....and perhaps some umps (or opposing coaches) pay more attention but after the "discussions' yesterday between CCM and the umps, you can bet they were going to watch for everything.

Also might have been a reason that Lexi warmed up but did not come it....same tendency as Marcy perhaps when trying to get something extra on the ball.

Meanwhile the two new pitchers...Martin and Carlson have been a huge addition to the team this season.....and good to have the 3 from last season....especially Walters who gives a different look and is pretty calm under pressure.