At a Minnesota Junior College Athletic Conference state tournament game Friday, the Central Lakes softball team from Brainerd had an apparent walk-off home run over the No. 1 team in the nation overturned because of an obscure rule that seems to have been applied improperly.
CLC's pitcher, who had thrown a no-hitter through seven innings, gave up four runs in the ninth and Central Lakes lost the game to Rochester Community and Technical College -- and was eliminated from the tournament in the process.
<snip> Rochester coach Jean Musgjerd, who said Monday, "I always have a rule book in my bag," went out to argue. The umpire left the field to confer with a superior and eventually ruled the play was an out.
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But wait: by the time Rogge was reached Monday, a Star Tribune review of the NCAA softball rules -- which also govern the NJCAA -- found this: "Offensive team personnel, other than base coaches and runner(s), shall not touch a batter or base runner(s) who is legally running the bases on a dead-ball award until the player(s) contacts home plate. For a first offense, the umpire shall issue a warning to the offending team."
This stupid #### of a coach should be fired immidiately. What poor sportsmanship it shows for her to argue an obscure rule like this to win. Unbelievable. Especially for her to argue it incorrectly. How can she sleep at night knowing she won not by earning it, but by whining like a poor little baby?