📡 Controversy swirls around NCAA bid - Tuscaloosa News

[Bama News]

Controversy swirls around NCAA bid - The Tuscaloosa News

Alabama baseball entered the weekend with work needed to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.

The Crimson Tide started the run with an upset win over South Carolina, ranked 16 in the RPI, to secure at least two more games against top 25 competition.

“We knew we had to win some games to make a run in the postseason,” said Chase Lee. “We knew we were outside, looking in, and had to win a couple games.”

Alabama’s side of the bracket included No. 9 Tennessee, with No. 6 Mississippi State and No. 20 Florida waiting for a potential Thursday meeting.

The Controversy

Wednesday’s win over Tennessee brings Alabama one massive step closer to locking up a spot in the NCAA Tournament, but it did not come easy.

The Crimson Tide took an early tworun lead before a pair of seventh-inning errors tied the game.

Tennessee entered the bottom of the ninth with a chance to end the game, putting runners on first and third with no outs.

A line drive to second baseman Peyton Wilson was dropped and thrown to first, beating the runner but creating confusion at the bag as two Vols stood together.

The umpires gathered and went to the monitor.

After discussing the play, the batter was called out on the throw to first and the runner already on base was allowed to stay on first as he was not tagged out.

Thinking the confusion of the inning was over, play resumed.

After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Lee tipped a ball up the middle and Jim Jarvis flipped to Peyton Wilson.

As the runner on third raced home, Wilson relayed to first, but William Hamiter’s foot was off the bag.

“In the dugout there was a little bit of a confused stage,” said Owen Diodati. “Then we all saw what happened up on the screen.”

As Tennessee stormed the field in celebration, the umpire signaled for interference and called the batter out, ending the inning. The runner sliding into second had made contact with Wilson’s groin in breaking up the double play and was ruled to have interfered with the throw.

After a long review, the call stood, and the game went into extra innings where Alabama would prevail.

“Adding video review has been just amazing,” said coach Brad Bohannon. “It just takes all the emotion out of it. As a coach and as a player all you can do is ask them to take a look and I thought they got all the calls right.”

Looking forward

Alabama is not done yet in the SEC Tournament.

The Crimson Tide will have at least two more chances in the double-elimination format, starting with Florida on Thursday.

With a win, Alabama would secure a game off for its pitching staff and face the winner of a game pitting Florida against the winner of Mississippi State vs. Tennessee.

“I’m not even worried about the NCAA Tournament,” said Bohannon. “I just want to extend this season; I absolutely love these kids.”

A loss on Thursday would put Alabama in an elimination game against Mississippi State or Tennessee, with a chance to meet Florida again.

 

[TerryP]

As Tennessee stormed the field in celebration, the umpire signaled for interference and called the batter out, ending the inning. The runner sliding into second had made contact with Wilson’s groin in breaking up the double play and was ruled to have interfered with the throw.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Cannot extend hand into defensive player tryingto make a throw...clearly did...
But...could have gone either way....
Looks like he was protecting himself...from D player falling into him...not intentionally trying to disrupt throw....still a violation though

 

[BamaFan334]

You clearly see him extend opposite his body to make contact, that is illegal. I have no issue with the attempted spiking as it's legal and you gotta do what you gotta do for your team. My be an unwritten rule, but sometimes the team comes first. of course I'm still good with running over a catcher that's standing in your way as well. Either way, nice try at creating controversy, but to me the controversy is the shady move to hit a guy in the balls. You could even lip read the Tennessee coach's lips when talking to the umpire, "so he can't hit him in the balls?".

 

[50+yeartidefan]

You clearly see him extend opposite his body to make contact, that is illegal. I have no issue with the attempted spiking as it's legal and you gotta do what you gotta do for your team. My be an unwritten rule, but sometimes the team comes first. of course I'm still good with running over a catcher that's standing in your way as well. Either way, nice try at creating controversy, but to me the controversy is the shady move to hit a guy in the balls. You could even lip read the Tennessee coach's lips when talking to the umpire, "so he can't hit him in the balls?".

thats how ump saw it. And was discussed among umps and stood!
Just a break for Bama.