Canzano: Collisions, dirt balls, and difficult times
Adversity is on display in baseball and softball playoffs.
I don’t know what Anson Aroz was supposed to do on Friday night when he ran toward home plate in the eighth inning and encountered the opposing team’s catcher positioned in the basepath without the ball.
Friday brought no justice for the two best baseball teams in the Pacific Time Zone. Oregon lost to Utah Valley in the Eugene Regional, 6-5, amid a terrible call and an unfortunate ejection. Oregon State, the host of the Corvallis Regional, lost 6-4 to Saint Mary’s. Both teams face elimination.
Today’s post is going to be heavy on baseball and softball. Oregon and OSU are now in a fight to extend their seasons. I’m intrigued by how they’ll respond on Saturday. Meanwhile, the UO softball team kept its season alive in the wee hours on Friday night and provided one of the most unusual moments I’ve ever seen.
Let’s start at the Eugene Regional. After a seven-minute instant-replay review, Aroz was called out at home plate. The umpires deemed it “malicious contact.” He’ll sit out Saturday’s game. I’d love for readers to unpack the play for themselves. But I’m struggling to understand what Aroz or any reasonable baserunner should have done.
Watch the video:
A few thoughts: