Umpires With An Agenda

2007 Sectional

Having the title for this article presented in red is very appropriate. In going over scorebooks, I was reminded about how umpires had some agenda against us and basically took a Sectional away from us.  I was seeing RED!

I am sure if you spoke with umpires they would say that umpires do not have any agenda against any coaches or teams. I beg to differ. I know for a fact that it can happen. I will not share that story here, but I will share this recollection about the 2007 Sectional where umpires did influence the result.  What still interests me is that I did not remember ever having these umpires previously.  To give my point more credence, one of the umpires ejected Coach Riensche after a horrible call at second base. “The fielder missed the tag by a good foot!” Coach Riensche clearly saw the play while coaching first base. I believe this was the only time Coach Riensche was thrown out of a game in his years at Lutheran High School. I wish I could say the same thing! 

 To add to the situation, Coach Riensche was ejected in the first of three games, so he was not able to coach in our game against Lapel who was our biggest rival at the time. He wanted to see the game so he was standing behind the leftfield fence at Marian College. The umpires were so petty, they made him leave before they would begin the game. He went and sat in our bus that was parked down the rightfield line. He was able to see Jared Broughton’s home run that iced the game in our favor.

We were playing University High School in the first game. I am not sure who their coach was in 2007 but University was a relatively new high school. Our record entering the Sectional was 13-12. We had played a very competitive schedule. We had some nice wins over Scecina, Guerin, Covenant Christian and Pike. But our losses were to West Lafayette (2), Heritage Christian, Martinsville, Lawrence North, Chatard, Bedford North-Lawrence (2) Perry Meridian, Beech Grove, Ritter and Triton Central. In addition, we lost to Decatur Central 2-0 in the County Tournament that they ended up winning. I believe we gave them their closest game. Then they forfeited the game due to using an ineligible player. Jeez!

As our game began versus University, we were the visitors and went down in order in the top of the first. Jared Broughton was our starting pitcher. Jared had been our best pitcher during the season and we were confident going into the Sectional. Michael Longworth had come on strong in the season and was going to pitch Game 2.

A few key points before continuing. Jared had pitched 48.1 innings and had 47 strikeouts and 18 walks during the regular season.

We start the bottom half of the first inning and the lead off hitter walks. The second hitter K’s and the third hitter walks. Jared gets the clean up batter to hit into a double play. We were wondering about the 2 walks as it was not like Jared was having pitches bounce or go to the backstop. His pitches were right there. Hmm.

In the second inning we scored a run. Jared went back out for the second inning. He got out of the inning without allowing a run, but 2 more walks. University would have been better off not swinging!

I had seen Jared pitch games from the time he was 10 years old. I was very familiar with his pitching. It was not like all of a sudden he could not throw strikes.

We score 2 more runs in the third to go up 3-0. The bottom of the third begins with, you guessed it, a walk.  At this point Jared is throwing pitches down the middle to get a strike. He gives up two hits in a row to their number 3 and 4 hitters to make the score 3-1. They score a second run on a sacrifice fly. Score of 3-2 after 3 innings.  Jared had thrown 68 pitches and walked 5 batters.  To say we, and particularly Jared, were experiencing frustration was an understatement. Jared had to throw pitches in a little box. 

In the top of the fourth we went down in order.  The bottom of the fourth did not start off well for us as we made an error on their first batter. Their lead-off hitter then singled and the second hitter walked. Surprise. Jared got through the inning with 2 walks but gave up two runs and we were down 4-3 after 4 innings.

I believe that being a pitcher is the most difficult position to play in sports. The pressure on a pitcher can be acute and there are so many factors outside the control of the pitcher that impacts him. Umpires are a big factor. After 4 innings Jared was getting tired physically and mentally due to these circumstances. He had now walked 7 batters and had 1 HBP and thrown 98 pitches.  Remember, up until this game he had thrown 48 innings and walked 18 total batters. Hmm.

In the top of the 5th inning, we put together some hits and scored 4 runs to take back the lead, 7-4. By the way, through 5 innings we had 3 walks. Hmm.

In the bottom half of the 5th, University scored 1 run with the assistance of 3 more walks! So, now Jared had walked 10 batters.  I had tremendous confidence in Jared and thought he could battle on. In hindsight I should have taken him out as the mental strain this umpire had made him go through was so bad.  I do not remember exactly remember my thoughts at the time but I know it was a very bad situation for Jared and our team to have to play in. Pitch after pitch would be called a ball. Our catcher, Zach Beaton, and Jared were totally taken aback by what this umpire was doing. I am guessing that I tried encouraging Jared to overcome this unfortunate experience in that he would be better prepared in the future for any setbacks and challenges. Through 5 innings we had 3 walks. Hmm.

At some point Coach Riensche is ejected from the game as we were all on edge due to the umpiring situation. When he saw what he believed was a very bad call he strenuously made his case. I am sure he did not use offensive language or insult the base umpire personally, but he was nonetheless ejected. I am guessing that we had been having some comments toward the umpires through the 5th inning as it was extremely frustrating.

In the top of the 6th inning we scored 4 more runs to make the score 11 to 5. I most likely thought we had the game in hand and that with that score we might get some relief from the umpire. I kept Jared in the game thinking he could finish things off. I was wrong about one thing. The umpire did not see things any differently. Two more walks, for a total of 12 in 6 innings. To Jared’s credit, University did not score in the 6th.

We scored 2 more runs in the top of the 7th to make the score 13-5. 

I was so proud of Jared for what he had accomplished and overcome. The umpire had shaken his confidence to the core about his pitching and Jared had come out on top. Jared was one of the best control and location pitchers in Lutheran Baseball history. It was a very bad experience for him in this game. As Jared was pitching mostly fastballs, it was particularly aggravating.

We brought in Brad Naffziger to pitch the 7th. Yep, two more walks for a total of 14 walks in the game. 

We end up winning the game 13 to 5 and move on to play Lapel in game 2. 

Michael Longworth pitched this game and we beat arch-rival Lapel 13-5. Jared had a full-count 2 run homer down the right field line (Coach Riensche saw if from the bus!) that took the wind out of Lapel’s sails.

You might think the story is over, but it continues in the Championship Game against Cardinal Ritter. Ritter had beaten us earlier in the season 4-3. 

We had a plan that Jared could come back and pitch, have Michael Longworth to go 3 innings (a pitcher could pitch 10 innings every 3 days at that time) and others if needed.

Well, same umpires. In the top of the first inning Ritter scored 4 runs. Jared was doing his best but with two outs and one run in, Jared walks 3 batters in a row. Unbelievable. Jared did a great job to get out of the inning but he was done. It was very sad what the umpires had done to him.

I am guessing that someone could read this story and say that perhaps Jared just was not pitching well. I would counter that you had to be there to see it for yourself.

Michael pitched well for 3 innings as the Ritter batters were swinging early in the count. Good for them. After 4 innings the score was 4 to 4. 

I am sure what I did next was totally unfair. I asked Jared to go back in to pitch. Again, I had so much confidence in Jared. I felt like he had the ability to get us through. I was asking too much. In the 5th, with one out, Jared walked a batter, then we had two errors in a row. The next hitter walked. The next batter got a hit and Jared got the last two hitters, but Ritter had scored 5 runs. 

We ended up losing the game 13-10. Ritter did what they needed to do for the win.

On the other hand. I do not remember a time when umpires had such a negative influence on one of our teams. I do not remember the guy’s name but I know we never had him again in the next 12 years! Hmm.

The impact this umpire had on Jared, a young high school player doing his best was totally unacceptable. Umpires stick together so I would never have any recourse on this umpire, especially since I could be hard on them. Particularly hard after this experience. 

So to recap, in the Sectional, Jared pitched 8.1 innings and had 18 walks. 

During the season, he had 48.1 innings pitched and 18 walks.  

You tell me!