Controversy in Cards' 1-0 Loss to Okotoks

The Yorkton Cardinals and Okotoks Dawgs played 8 scoreless innings before the Dawgs scored the game's only run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth. But how that runner got to third in the first place raised a few eyebrows at Jubilee Park.

Here, to the best of my memory, was the scenario.

Okotoks had none out with a runner on first. The batter hit a single to the outfield, and the baserunner on first aggresively rounded second, put the brakes on, and the Cards quickly got the ball back in and tagged out the runner before he got back to second.

Seeing the batter (now on first) was also cheating off the bag, the Cardinal second baseman, after tagging out the first runner, fired the ball to first. The throw got by the first baseman and into the Okotoks dugout. Everyone thought the runner would be awarded second base, but the home plate umpire sent him to third.

After intentionally walking the next batter, the Cardinals pitched to the Dawgs' cleanup hitter to get a lefty-lefty matchup, and he belted a deep fly to centre for the sac fly and game's only run.

The big question was if the eventual game winning baserunner should have been awarded third base, or second. If he goes to second there's no telling how many innings this well-pitched game may have gone. The Cardinals weren't happy, and I asked one of the base umps who I know personally from hockey season if the right call was made, and he said yes, because the runner had already attained first base. Not that I doubted him, but I Googled baseball rules and found the same thing he stated.

Because the runner was already at first, and the ball went into the dugout, he was awarded two bases. In a case where a batter is running to first and there's an overthrow, then it's just one base because he hasn't yet made it to first.

That's the best way I can explain it.

And I know this blog gets several visits per day from Ventura, CA, and I'm almost certain it has to be Mark Magdaleno Sr, who I know is a great baseball mind and well respected baseball guy in the States, being a coach at the college level and running several camps. Mark's son Mark Jr's in his second year as a catcher for the Cardinals. Mags, if that is infact you, please comment on this page with some clarification on the rule, or anyone else for that matter.

Guess you really do learn something new everyday.

The controversy somewhat overshadowed one heck of a pitcher's duel between Yorkton's Ben Dailey and Jeff Duda for Okotoks. Both pitchers went 9 full innings. Dailey allowed gave up just one walk and struckout three. Duda put on one of the better performances I've seen in this league, with 10 strikeouts and zero walks, while giving up 6 hits. His fastball had some serious gas and he mixed in some good junk too.