and it ended in a controversial way. She was hit by a pitch in her fourth trip to the plate, but was not allowed to go to first base.
And it was about then new rule change. I saw the play. As per usual, the broadcast team screwed up their account and showed that they didn't know about the new rule, which is interesting, because it's been emphasized all season. And the camera angle from center field had a great angle.
There are three possible outcomes when a batter is hit by a pitched ball. It has nothing to do with trying to get out of the way. If a batter is hit by a pitch, and THE BALL is in the batter's box when it hits her, then the HBP stands and the batter is awarded first base as usual. The ball must be entirely in the batters box. If it's on the edge of the box, but in the judgement of the umpire was not totally in the box, then the batter is not awarded first base. If the pitch was not touching the strike zone, then the pitch is called a ball. It also has nothing to do with whether the batter is entirely in the box when it hits, only where the ball is. Her feet can be slightly out of the box, but it doesn't impact the call.
If the pitch was in the strike zone, it is called a strike. If it would be the third strike, the batter is out.
There is an interesting, splitting of hairs in the rule book that seems new to this season. The rule book specifically says that the batter is not required to get out of the way of the pitch. It does not matter in the ruling of the batter being hit by a pitch. BUT, if the batter tries to be hit by the pitch, then it is not a hit by pitch. The distinction is that if the ball is coming toward the batter, then there is no requirement to get out of the way of the pitch. But say the batter is deep in the batters box, and moves a body part intentionally toward the ball to be hit by it, then even if entirely in the box, it is not an HBP.
What made this particular AB so important was that it was Clifton's last at bat. She had reached base in 30 previous games in a row, but not in her first three plate appearances in game three of the regional against Ole Miss. She turned her back in an apparent effort to get out of the way of the pitch, but it's a technique that she has perfected in this year of the new rule. The umpire immediately pointed at her feet in the box, calling for the at bat to continue. She went all the way to first base, and then was made to return to complete the at bat.
But it didn't get finished. There were two outs at the time and Erin Miller was at first base. Miller's RBI single had extended OU's final seventh inning at bat. Even though the game was in Norman, OU was in the first base dugout as designated visitor for the sixth game of the tournament. They'd already played Ole Miss on Saturday and the Sooners were home team in the earlier game. If Miller hadn't reach base, then Clifton wouldn't have come to the plate.
The center field angle showed the the ball was right on the line on the inside of the batter's box next to the plate. From my prejudiced view, the ball was entirely in the box, barely. The batters box includes the entire width of the lines. But the umpire ruled that the ball was barely out of the box when it hit her, but still not in the strike zone. It was the first pitch of the at bat. She was returned to the box with a 1-0 count. The confused broadcasters spouted their various incorrect accounts of why she was back in the box, and couldn't understand why it was with a 1-0 count. If the umpire viewed that the ball when it struck her, was slightly out of the box, then it was the correct call, in accordance with the new rule this season.
After the HBP, I was really hoping that Gasso would not send Miller. Erin had been dealing with some leg soreness severe enough that she didn't start the game in Right Field for the first time in a while, but was instead the designated player. And the Ole MIss catcher was excellent at throwing runners out. But two after two pitches, Gasso sent Miller and Erin was out and second on a very close play. It was the third out, ending the Sooners' offensive inning. So the combination of the call on the HBP and the close call at second base, and three previous plate appearances by Clifton, ended her 30 consecutive game on base streak.
Pretty lousy way to end such a streak. But maybe it will take some pressure off of her in the Super Regional, and she'll have a great weekend.
And it was about then new rule change. I saw the play. As per usual, the broadcast team screwed up their account and showed that they didn't know about the new rule, which is interesting, because it's been emphasized all season. And the camera angle from center field had a great angle.
There are three possible outcomes when a batter is hit by a pitched ball. It has nothing to do with trying to get out of the way. If a batter is hit by a pitch, and THE BALL is in the batter's box when it hits her, then the HBP stands and the batter is awarded first base as usual. The ball must be entirely in the batters box. If it's on the edge of the box, but in the judgement of the umpire was not totally in the box, then the batter is not awarded first base. If the pitch was not touching the strike zone, then the pitch is called a ball. It also has nothing to do with whether the batter is entirely in the box when it hits, only where the ball is. Her feet can be slightly out of the box, but it doesn't impact the call.
If the pitch was in the strike zone, it is called a strike. If it would be the third strike, the batter is out.
There is an interesting, splitting of hairs in the rule book that seems new to this season. The rule book specifically says that the batter is not required to get out of the way of the pitch. It does not matter in the ruling of the batter being hit by a pitch. BUT, if the batter tries to be hit by the pitch, then it is not a hit by pitch. The distinction is that if the ball is coming toward the batter, then there is no requirement to get out of the way of the pitch. But say the batter is deep in the batters box, and moves a body part intentionally toward the ball to be hit by it, then even if entirely in the box, it is not an HBP.
What made this particular AB so important was that it was Clifton's last at bat. She had reached base in 30 previous games in a row, but not in her first three plate appearances in game three of the regional against Ole Miss. She turned her back in an apparent effort to get out of the way of the pitch, but it's a technique that she has perfected in this year of the new rule. The umpire immediately pointed at her feet in the box, calling for the at bat to continue. She went all the way to first base, and then was made to return to complete the at bat.
But it didn't get finished. There were two outs at the time and Erin Miller was at first base. Miller's RBI single had extended OU's final seventh inning at bat. Even though the game was in Norman, OU was in the first base dugout as designated visitor for the sixth game of the tournament. They'd already played Ole Miss on Saturday and the Sooners were home team in the earlier game. If Miller hadn't reach base, then Clifton wouldn't have come to the plate.
The center field angle showed the the ball was right on the line on the inside of the batter's box next to the plate. From my prejudiced view, the ball was entirely in the box, barely. The batters box includes the entire width of the lines. But the umpire ruled that the ball was barely out of the box when it hit her, but still not in the strike zone. It was the first pitch of the at bat. She was returned to the box with a 1-0 count. The confused broadcasters spouted their various incorrect accounts of why she was back in the box, and couldn't understand why it was with a 1-0 count. If the umpire viewed that the ball when it struck her, was slightly out of the box, then it was the correct call, in accordance with the new rule this season.
After the HBP, I was really hoping that Gasso would not send Miller. Erin had been dealing with some leg soreness severe enough that she didn't start the game in Right Field for the first time in a while, but was instead the designated player. And the Ole MIss catcher was excellent at throwing runners out. But two after two pitches, Gasso sent Miller and Erin was out and second on a very close play. It was the third out, ending the Sooners' offensive inning. So the combination of the call on the HBP and the close call at second base, and three previous plate appearances by Clifton, ended her 30 consecutive game on base streak.
Pretty lousy way to end such a streak. But maybe it will take some pressure off of her in the Super Regional, and she'll have a great weekend.
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