Sports

Niche College Baseball Rule Robs Arizona State Of Third Out When Ball Lodges Inside Pitcher’s Jersey On Line Drive

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Baseball caught in jersey out or safe rule texas A&M Arizona State
Flo Sports

Arizona State did not record its third out of the third inning during its college baseball game against Texas A&M even though pitcher Jaden Alba caught a line drive off of the bat. It landed in his jersey.

By rule, that counts as a base hit.

It was such a bizarre occurrence that even the college baseball umpires did not know exactly what to do. They had to review the rulebook on the field before they came to an official ruling.

Arizona State pitcher Jaden Alba caught the ball in his jersey.

This play took place during the third inning of the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Sun Devils trailed the Aggies by a score of 5-2 in the bottom half.

Texas A&M had two outs with no one on. Redshirt junior Blake Binderup was at the dish with a 2-2 count.

He hit a screaming line drive back up the middle right at the pitcher, Jaden Alba.

Alba did not have enough time to react and narrowly avoided disaster. The ball hit him directly in the chest but it did not hit him in the body. The ball somehow lodged itself inside of his jersey for out No. 3.

OR WAS IT?!

Here is how it looked on the broadcast:

Here is how it looked from field level:

Notice how Arizona State left the field. The Sun Devils thought the inning was over. As did Binderup. Even the Globe Life Field grounds crew started to groom the dirt.

Alba lingered near the pitcher’s mound for a moment while the home plate umpire went to investigate. The ball got trapped inside his jersey. Does that count as an out?

College baseball rules award Texas A&M with a single, not an out.

I have never seen this scenario in college baseball. Nor had the umpires. They didn’t know what to do.

Although Texas A&M and Arizona State thought the inning was over, the rulebook says otherwise.

Baseball caught in jersey out or safe texas A&M Arizona State umpires rulebook
Flo Sports

Upon further review, Binderup was awarded a single. A jersey-assisted catch is not a thing!

Rule 5.09 states: “a batter is out when: (1) His fair or foul fly ball (other than a foul tip) is legally caught by a fielder.” A legal catch is defined as: “the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it; providing he does not use his cap, protector, pocket or any other part of his uniform in getting possession.”

If the ball bounces off a fielder’s person (think: stomach or arm) and the field subsequently gloves it, that is a legal catch. If the ball lodges inside of a player’s jersey or uniform, the ball is immediately ruled dead.

It is the same as a player using his hat or the catcher using his mask. It is not a legal catch.

The batter is then awarded first base and any runners that are forced to advance will do so.

In this case, the bases were clear. Binderup takes first. The Aggies get an out back and stay on offense. The Sun Devils are right back on defense with only two recorded outs.