Pitch that struck ump prompts apology, probe

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Georgia High School Baseball

Pitch that struck ump prompts apology, probe
Stephens Co. coach says bizarre incident in AAA final was not intentional

By TODD HOLCOMB
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/02/08

Stephens County principal David Friend apologized Monday to the Georgia High School Association for an incident in the Class AAA baseball championship series Saturday in which Stephens County catcher Matt Hill ducked and allowed a pitch from Cody Martin to strike an umpire in the face mask.

"[The tape] looks bad, and most people who look at it come away with that conclusion," Friend said. "But there have been whacky things that have happened in baseball and high schools, and all I'm going to conclude is that it does need to be investigated. If we're found to be at fault, we'll effectively deal with the situation."

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Friend said he interviewed his baseball coaches Monday and concluded they were not to blame. Friend said he had not finished talking with players.

But Stephens County coach Mark Gosnell said it was a mixup between his catcher and pitcher.

"Matt said he had a curveball, and Cody said it was a fastball," Gosnell said. "[Hill and Martin] have been as honest as anyone since I've known them."

The incident occurred in the bottom of the fourth inning with Cartersville leading 9-1 in a game it won 13-1. It was the third and deciding game of the three-game series.

Stephens County shortstop Ethan Martin, the brother of the pitcher and projected as a possible first-round pick in the major league draft Thursday, was called out on strikes for the final out of the previous inning. He was the ninth consecutive Stephens County batter to strike out, and he argued with the home-plate umpire afterward, throwing his batting helmet.

In the bottom of the inning, Cartersville's second batter, Taylor Hightower, was facing an 0-1 count when Hill, the catcher, ducked and dropped to his knees as Cody Martin's pitch approached.

The ball bounced off the face mask of the umpire, Jeff Scott, who was not injured, and rolled toward third base.

A video of the pitch was posted on AJC.com Sunday on Kurt Aschermann's "Hardball" high school baseball blog.

Scott Singer, hired by Cartersville to tape and do play-by-play of the game, was behind home plate during the pitch. He said the Martin brothers had complained of calls before the pitch hit the umpire.

"Those two, the pitcher and his brother, the entire game had been riding the umpire about balls and strikes, and [Ethan Martin] got rung up in the top of the fourth, so [perhaps] that was payback in the bottom of the fourth," Singer said. "I don't know what was going through their heads, but when you see a catcher go to his right, it's like 'Good God!'"

Terry Martin, the father of Ethan and Cody Martin, a junior, said he was advised not to allow his sons talk to the Journal-Constitution. He would not elaborate. Hill, a senior who has signed to play at Gordon College in Barnesville, could not be reached.

GHSA executive director Ralph Swearngin acknowledged Friend's apology Monday and said the association will act when Stephens County's investigation is complete. Swearngin said the GHSA associate director Dennis Payne attended the game and would have initiated a probe if Stephens County had not called first.

"My main concern is that we had a great season, and it's unfortunate that one pitch has become the focal point, instead of what the team accomplished," Friend said. "It doesn't look good from what I've seen, but at the same time, sometimes you have lapses in judgment, and a community and a high school and a baseball program should not be judged by one pitch."

Kurt Aschermann contributed to this article.

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Comments

By Ump 38

Aug 21, 2008 1:56 PM | Link to this

Read alot of these comments but only one person said they would of had alot of ejections, I agree folk. The players and coaches get all the glory,fame,recognition, all the time but for three hours we (umpires) get all the control. Just do your job and hopefuly nobody will get ejected or injured.

By California

Jul 4, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this

It looks like the pitch hit the batters helmet first then bounced into the ump's mask. Because it appears that the ball changes direction when it gets to the batters helmet.

And the catcher does look like he is taking a dive to let the ball go by. But in the South, high school sports is big stuff. People have no other life. So they get carried away.

By Don

Jun 22, 2008 3:22 PM | Link to this

Let's see, I've umpired for almost 20 years now.

When the catcher or pitcher, want the plate ump all the catcher has to do is drop the glove and the ump is a sitting target, period.

To the lunkheads who think that the batter was hit on the helmet first, re-watch the clip. Do you see the batter screaming that he was hit in the helmet. No, you see him turning his head to watch the bqall. He did not back out or do anything to avoid being hit. Maybe the batter, catcher and pitcher were in on it. NOT! The batter stays in the box and motions for R2 to take 3rd.

By Not a redneck

Jun 18, 2008 11:58 PM | Link to this

You friggin Georgia inbred losers. Keen Observer..you are a douche.

By Al

Jun 13, 2008 6:17 AM | Link to this

I'd like to see the rest of the game, how bad was the umpire calling this game? Did he have the same strike zone for both teams? 9 strikeouts in 12 batters? Where can I see the rest of this game? If the umpire was calling a bad or biased game, what would have happened to him? Nothing! Nobody ever said that life is fair, but umpires should call a fair game, and that's becoming fewer and farther between these days, from the games I've been watching these days.

By BroncoO_O

Jun 11, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

Yes it was intentional but for who? Has the batter made any comments?

Download the video and watch the ball frame by frame. In slow motion the ball clearly hits the batters helmet first, then deflects to the umps face mask then hits the catcher in the back. You can see the batter tuck his chin and shrug his left shoulder has he is hit. I think it's a beanball with a lucky bounce. The ball clearly deflects down after it hits the batter!! LOOK AGAIN!

By kevian96

Jun 9, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this

Who are these guys? One sees the ball hit the batter's helmet when it clearly does not! Nuther lernt to rite frum hookt on fonix. Catcher on his knees bailing on a high and tight fast ball. College level material? Not even JUCO! Mutt on the mound...tough call. History of A-holeism in family ? Those in the KNOW are the ONLY ones to really KNOW. If so, what goes around the head, comes back around the head... eventually... invariably...and inevitably !!!

By Scapegoat

Jun 9, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this

What consequences do the pitcher/coach face? Seems like the catcher is a scapegoat. I have met and worked professionally with the catcher's father, and I can tell you, this kind of mind-set, and "entitlement" to do whatever he wants, is imbedded in his character. He's been taught no respect, and I can't help but believe he is as much to blame in this scenario.

By Wayne

Jun 9, 2008 1:56 AM | Link to this

These guys are the orignal waste of jizz. Bunch of little punks

By Wayne

Jun 9, 2008 1:55 AM | Link to this

These guys are the orignal waste of jizz. Bunch of little punks

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