Watch: Bizarre Strike 3 Call Ends Game, Sparks Major Controversy
While Major League Baseball discusses several new rules that would dramatically change the way the game is played, college baseball has implemented a new rule that made a big difference in one recent game.
When the University of Texas played UT Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday, a new rule regarding hit-by-pitches affected the outcome — and many are outraged about it.
Texas had a 4-3 lead with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. All the Longhorns needed was one out to win, while Rio Grand Valley was just looking to get someone on base.
Then this happened:
This is the final out from tonight’s @UTRGVBaseball game versus @TexasBaseball. You decide…HBP or Strike 3?
video h/t: @LonghornNetwork pic.twitter.com/XVXtaQWygu
— KGBT Sports (@kgbtsports) March 6, 2019
Left fielder Elijah Alexander was hit by a pitch on the knee, and the last 100-plus years of baseball have told us that he should be awarded first base.
But as Alexander was going to first, he whipped around when he learned the home plate umpire called the pitch a strike, and thus an out to end the game.
That apparent hit-by-pitch was deemed a strike thanks to a new NCAA baseball rule — 8.2d.1 — under which the batter must “avoid being hit whenever possible.”
There’s a new rule in college baseball saying if the batter doesn’t make an attempt to avoid the pitch, it’s called a strike, even if it’s out of the strike zone.
— Wilson Alexander (@whalexander_) February 16, 2019
It looks like they do have to make an effort to get out of the way. Rule states the batter cannot “intentionally make a movement to be hit by a pitch, regardless of where the pitch is located; or allows himself to be intentionally hit by a pitch”
— Wilson Alexander (@whalexander_) February 16, 2019
The ump ruled that Alexander didn’t make enough of an effort to get out of the way of the pitch. Thus, the event was officially ruled a swinging strike — game over.
While the call was correct by the letter of the law, perhaps the law needs to be changed.
It would be one thing if Alexander were leaning over the plate and that pitch was in the strike zone, but he had already started his swinging motion, which left his back leg vulnerable but still not close to the strike zone.
Many cried foul over the ruling.
That ball is in the batter’s box. @NCAA with yet another terrible rule implementation that ruins the integrity of the game. The outcome needs to be decided on the field and not by a subjective decision.
— Grant Neary (@gnear80) March 7, 2019
It’s blatantly obvious he was hit by the pitch. Bad call. To bad for the Vaqueros ?♂️
— Duke J. Backus ✝️??? (@PastorChzhead) March 6, 2019
Dang! Talk about missing a call!! Batter should send the ump a pic of the bruise it’s gonna leave…
— Anibal (@AGorena) March 6, 2019
terrible call. Obviously HBP
— Alyssa (@alymtz15) March 6, 2019
The win pushed Texas to an 11-3 record, and the Longhorns are riding a four-game winning streak ahead of their weekend series at Stanford.
They are the No. 12 team in the country and are looking to get back to the College World Series after being the second team eliminated in last year’s CWS.
The Vaqueros dropped to 9-4 on the year.
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