SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.— An exciting All-Star season and rousing consolation final ended for Cascade Little League on Friday afternoon with a giant thud — or rather, in illegal contact.
Cascade’s rally in the bottom of the sixth inning of the Northwest Regional’s consolation final ended when its tying run was ruled out at home following an illegal contact of a player by third-base coach Brendan McCarthy.
That gave West Valley Little League of Eagle, Idaho, an 8-7 victory and advanced it to Saturday’s Northwest championship against Wilshire-Riverside Little League of Portland.
Television replays showed McCarthy touched baserunner Mason Hill three times in an apparent effort to reinforce the fact that he wanted him to steal home while Idaho defense appeared to be resetting after an overthrow at third base.
“Their third baseman was asking for time, the umpire didn’t grant time, and I told Mason to go,” McCarthy said. “I think in that confusion, I did put my hands on (Hill), and the umpire ruled I assisted him.”
Indeed, the third base umpire called an out as Hill slid into home. It was the final out of the sixth inning, ending an otherwise triumphant season for Cascade.
“I’m crushed for our kids,” McCarthy said. “I’m crushed because — and we don’t know. If Mason doesn’t go, we’re still down a run and you don’t know. But to feel like you took away your kids’ chance at a shot at Williamsport is crushing.”
Russell Fearington was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the sixth, and later, with two outs, Hill walked after Fearington had taken second on a wild pitch.
Issac Hodory then hit a grounder to third base that was thrown past first base. Fearington went to third, but Hill appeared to overrun second and get in a rundown between second and third.
Fearington scored and Hill was able to advance to third after a throw went past third base. It was then, as the Idaho players began to move back on the field, McCarthy saw an opening to get Hill home for the tying run.
“Do I think that would’ve been the difference between Mason scoring and not scoring? No,” McCarthy said of the contact. “But it’s the umpire’s call, and he made the call. That was his judgement.”
West Valley manager Tony Hilde said he didn’t have enough of a view to fully comment on the play.
“I don’t know,” he said. “It happened really fast to me. I think the umpire had a really good perspective and was in a really good position.”
It was a tough ending to what was shaping up to be a fantastic finish.
Idaho scored six times in the third to go up 6-1, but Cascade (12-2) rallied for three in the third and got two more in the fourth to tie on a groundout RBI by Hill and an RBI single by Hodory.
But Idaho (7-2) countered, going up 8-6 on a single by Teague Haley, who later scored on an error. That set up the final-frame dramatics.
“(They) fought back, and I will always be proud of that in how they refused to give in and fought and believed,” McCarthy said. “Even in the last inning, when we were down to our last strike a couple of times, they were hanging in there and fighting, and I’m really, really proud of them.”
