Point After: Bad Judgment By Both Umpires
Stone Bridge's Johnny Bladel fires a fastball home in the driving rain on Wednesday night. The Bulldogs officially won the game 8-3 after it was called in the 6th inning because of rain, but the umpires put every player at risk by allowing the game to continue in horrible field conditions.
Photo By: Marc Gold / Gameday Magazine | VIEW GALLERY
Stone Bridge's J.J White dailed long distance on this swing with a towering home run to centerfield. White's blast gave Stone Bridge an early 3-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning. The sophomore also played well behind the plate, throwing two Saxons out attempting to steal.
Photo By: Marc Gold / Gameday Magazine | VIEW GALLERY
Langley's Chris Sievers drove in 5 RBI's on Wednesday night in the 8-3 defeat. Eventhough the final score was 8-3, we are counting his 2 RBI's in the 6th inning that officially weren't scored because he deserves it.
Photo By: Marc Gold / Gameday Magazine | VIEW GALLERY
LANGLEY, VA - Nobody wants to play a game more than the kids and the coaches, but in all of my years of playing, coaching, and watching baseball, I have never seen one played in the conditions we witnessed on Wednesday at Langley.
On Tuesday night, we televised the Langley vs Thomas Jefferson Lacrosse game, and the conditions were wet and poor. But Wednesday's weather was worse. The rain was heavier, and most importantly, every baseball player's safety was put in jeopardy.
It is one thing to have some wet grass, or some soft dirt, but when a player slides into second base and the only thing you see is water flying in the air, something is very wrong.
With two huge games scheduled for Friday for both Langley and Stone Bridge, it made sense to try to get it in. I was all for it for a while, because the field looked like it was withstanding the punishment. But after the 3rd inning, the rain just never let up, and the infield was literally one big puddle of water.
Both coaches spent time talking with the umpires, and each time, the umpires said "Play ball!"
The pitchers began to have trouble gripping the ball, and the fielders started slipping as they chased down ground balls.
It became obvious that the rain was too much to overcome when Langley had a terrible time fielding two bunts with the bases loaded. They wouldn't be considered tough plays normally, but the weather conditions made them nearly impossible.
Still, after the top of the 5th inning ended, the umpires allowed the game to continue. At one point, we could barely see the outfielders in the fog that had developed in the outfield. Just think, if I couldn't see them from the booth, how could they see the ball off of the bat?
As the 6th inning began, the conditions were relatively the same as the prior two innings. Puddles, fog, and wet grass pretty much describes what both teams were encountering out there on the field. Stone Bridge didn't score in their half of the inning, but Langley began to rally in a big way in the bottom of the 6th.
The Saxons scored 6 runs to make it 8-7, and it was pretty apparent that they were on their way to taking the lead. Then, for some odd reason, the umpires decided right then that it was time to go home.
Langley head coach Kevin Helie ran from the first base dugout all the way toward third in an outrage, and for good reason. Why did they decide after letting the game go for so long in heavy rain, to finally pull the plug?
The decision was far from popular of course with the Saxon fans, but Bulldog fans were equally upset. Why should it take a player getting hurt to start thinking about their safety?
When was the first clue that the field was in no way playable? As comedian Bill Engvall says so well, "Here's your sign."
The umpires in my opinion endangered both teams, and some pretty bright futures by letting the game continue well past what was even remotely acceptable.
Stone Bridge I'm sure is happy to grab the win, but it didn't come without a cost. Lambke was limping badly after the game with a hip flexor, and his status for Friday is uncertain.
For Coach Helie and Langley, it was as tough of a loss as I'm sure they have ever registered. The home plate umpire, who we won't name, could not explain to Coach Helie why he decided to call the game late in the 6th inning, when the field conditions were equally as bad in the 3rd inning. As a former coach, I can understand Coach Helie's frustration. You tell your players to never complain, never quit, even if the conditions are poor. And after fighting through the adversity, Helie's boys had the rug pulled out from underneath them.
It was a complete judgment call by the umpire, and a bad one to say the least. Allowing the game to continue in heavy rain for 3 innings and then suddenly calling it didn't make any sense.
Look, the game should have been called in the 3rd inning after the first downpour. The field conditions were horrible then, and they were equally horrible in the 6th inning.
The umpires put every athlete on the field at risk, and for that, there is no excuse. The parents are upset, the coaches are upset, and they have good reason to be.
As for me, I wasn't upset, because it was highly entertaining watching the drama unfold from the booth. That sounds ridiculous, but after a long year of broadcasting, the last 3 innings of Wednesday's game were highly entertaining, but for all of the wrong reasons.
EXTRA FOOD (FRUIT SALAD) FOR THOUGHT:
You know it is a strange night on the air when the topic of the toddler hit music group the Wiggles comes up. During Wednesday's game, Langley's Clay Rainie stepped to the plate and the intro song for him was from the Wiggles. To be exact, it was a song that my young son Owen happens to love called "Fruit Salad."
My broadcast partner Josh Restivo, with sarcasm I might add, wanted to know how I knew it was the Wiggles. Now, every high school kid that laughs because I know about the Wiggles needs to understand why I know the Wiggles.
When you have two young children, the Wiggles, Barney, and the Little Einsteins are a powerful feather in the proverbial cap. They equate to some peace and quiet, and for that matter, provide some quality entertainment for the little peeps.
Now back to why Clay Rainie had the Wiggles provide his theme music. I can only assume that it was a joke meant only for the team. But Mr. Rainie probably had no idea that his affection for the Wiggles would be broadcast worldwide on the Gameday Radio Network.
In reality, Rainie showed me something by having the guts to use the Wiggles. He has high self-esteem, and clearly has a great sense of humor.
Clay, you are a bigger man than me.
Ps. Check out the song about Dorothy the Dinosaur, you might like that one too!
If you would like to comment on my Point After, e-mail GamedayMagazine@aol.com. Let me know your thoughts on what transpired on Wednesday at Langley.
QUOTE OF THE BROADCAST:
By Gameday's Josh Restivo on what should or should not be said to an umpire after a strikeout.
"If you don't hear it on the Wiggles, then you shouldn't say it."
STONE BRIDGE'S WHITE HELPS BULLDOGS BEAT LANGLEY 8-3
Full Game Recap:
LANGLEY, VA - It was supposed to be played on Wednesday night, but it shouldn't have been. Both Langley and Stone Bridge needed the win to put themselves in position for an automatic bid to the regional playoffs, but only the Bulldogs left J. Scott Bradshaw Field feeling somewhat good about the outcome.
The start time for Wednesday's game between the Saxons and the Bulldogs was moved back to 6:40pm with heavy rain falling prior to the first pitch. After the Langley coaches and players added some dry sand to the batter's box, and to the pitching mound, the two teams finally got the contest under way.
Stone Bridge struck first when sophomore J.J White hit a 3-2 pitch from Langley's Joey Zaralla over the centerfield fence for a home run. White's blast drove in Michael Prince and Johnny Bladel to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. Prince had reached by virtue of a walk, and Bladel landed safely to first on an error before White connected on the big hit.
Zaralla settled down shortly after, and proceeded to strike out 5 of the first 9 hitters for Stone Bridge. Langley couldn't muster much offense though against Bladel, who was equally effective on the mound. Bladel struck out 5 of the first 8 Saxons he faced.
In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Langley's Chris Sievers drove in the first run of the game for the Saxons on a single up the middle. The base hit scored Ian Wood from second to make the score 3-1.
In the top of the 5th inning, Stone Bridge took advantage of what had become an extremely muddy infield, scoring 5 runs to take an 8-1 lead. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with no outs, and then head coach Sam Plank decided to do a safety squeeze in two consecutive at bats. Both times, the bunts scored Bulldogs from third, and the hitters were safe. The Bulldogs also scored on a walk with the bases loaded, and then senior Patrick Thompson drove in two more runs with a base hit to center.
With rain falling heavily, the umpires continued to let the game continue, despite the reaction from the fans who were calling for it to be suspended. Langley responded in the bottom of the 5th inning with two more runs to make the score 8-3. Sievers again did the damage for the Saxons, doubling down the left field line.
In the top of the 6th inning, Stone Bridge's Spenser Rositano grounded out to Zaralla, and Michael Prince grounded out to first for two quick outs. Bladel was then rung out on a highly questionable third strike, and as he showed his disgust with the call, the umpire didn't want to hear any part of it.
He sent Bladel back to the dugout, and the senior did not return to the field in the bottom of the 6th inning.
Stone Bridge's Ryan Cummings was given the opportunity to close out the game for the Bulldogs on the mound, but Langley proceeded to give him trouble, loading the bases with nobody out. Plank then called on Nick Fialdini to get the Bulldogs out of the jam, but Fialdini had the same trouble.
Barrett Hunter singled to right field on a two strike pitch that plated a run to make the score 8-4. After Jack Mclindon walked, another run scored to make it 8-5. Langley's Chris Sievers, who had already driven in 3 runs, then stepped to the plate and delivered again. Sievers sent a fastball to left field that scored two more runs.
On the play, Stone Bridge's Taylor Lambke was injured when he tried to throw the ball home on the relay to the catcher. Lambke strained his hip because of the wet field conditions.
The score was 8-7, and Langley still had runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. As the rain continued to fall, the two umpires met near third base. After a short discussion, the home plate umpire called the game off, which meant Stone Bridge officially was credited with an 8-3 rain shortened win because the 6th inning was not completed.
The win for Stone Bridge was huge because it gave the Bulldogs the best shot at closing out the final automatic berth into the regional playoffs with one game to play in the regular season. Stone Bridge improved to 15-4 on the season, and the loss dropped Langley to 13-6.
Both teams have tough tests on Friday with Stone Bridge hosting Madison, and Langley playing host to McLean. The Stone Bridge vs Madison game will be broadcast live worldwide right here online at GamedayMagazine.com.
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