How about we move to the next game.
90% of the teams across America in that situation 90% of the time send the runner as soon as the ball is hit on the ground. That is exactly how the Cajuns lost to Ole Miss in the deciding game of the regional two years ago. It was definitely the right decision to send her. That is how they are taught, that is how they are trained and once the ball hits the ground, they go.
Thank you. I appreciate your take on the situation.
To me, it didn’t appear she was running from the start.
The runner on first was halfway to second and the runner on third was still 3 feet from 3rd. Maybe the runner on first was stealing second, so she is further down the baseline, but I don’t recall that being the situation.
I’m just not a big fan of getting thrown out at home with zero outs.
You have several choices here ...
1) Send the runner on contact
2) Send the runner if it is hit to the right-side only (past the pitcher)
3) Send the runner, unless it is hit to pitcher or third base
4) Hold the runner until the ball gets through the infield
If you are executing #1, the runner is pushing off of the bag a bit (before the ball is put into play) and takes off immediately on contact. Obviously this was not done as the runner did not have the jump to make it home safely even from a ball to SS. She did not even execute what I would consider to be #3, as she should have gotten a better break than she did. Though she may have been attempting #3 and was late on her read and thus the subsequent break to the plate.
I think she is safe if she executes #1 well ... but you risk getting thrown out at the plate if it is hit cleanly to third base or pitcher.
BTW, she would have been gunned at the plate (where she was positioned at the time the SS fielded the ball) had she waited for the throw to 1B and then broke home.
Brian
Well, there you go.
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