Sports

Florida Little League Coach Under Fire For Breaking Baseball Rule In Karmic Loss

#Little League World Series
by Last Updated
A baseball player waits on a pitch

iStockphoto


Fireworks were ignited by a walk-off finish during a baseball game with Little League World Series implications between South Carolina and Florida. One head coach is now catching heat for breaking a baseball rule.

The decision immediately backfired in karmic fashion. You never intentionally put the winning run on the bases!

Lake Mary (Florida) entered the matchup with Irmo (South Carolina) as the defending Little League World Series champions. They appeared on their way to booking another ticket to the field in the Southeast final.

Florida led 4-0 going into the bottom of the sixth and final frame. South Carolina was able to load the bases before a walk brought in their first run of the ball game.

Then, things got interesting.

Florida Little League coach under fire for World Series walk.

Leading 4-1, Lake Mary opted to intentionally walk Irmo hitter Joe Giulietti. That decision not only allowed a run to score, but it also put the tying run in scoring position and the winning run 60 feet closer at first base.

Statistics at the professional level show that this is a mistake. Bat Flips and Nerds broke down why using Mike Trout as an example in 2019.

The MLB and Little League are not the same. Individual talent can differ vastly from player to player in youth baseball. The comparison is simply here to display the potential negative effects of putting the winning run onboard in this particular situation.

Even so, the probability of scoring that third and necessary run undoubtedly increased. South Carolina previously needed a home run to end the game. Now, they just needed a double.

Keep in mind that Irmo had been held scoreless up to this point. A walk-off grand slam seemed unlikely.

Had first base been open with less than two outs, the decision for Florida to intentionally walk the South Carolina batter might’ve made more sense. It wasn’t, and there weren’t.

It backfired in the very next at-bat.

South Carolina won the game in walk-off fashion.

The next hitter, Brent Westbrooks, laced a double off the bottom of the wall in left field. With two outs and the runners moving on contact, three runs scored easily.

Social media users were quick to react.

“A bases loaded intentional walk with 2 outs, and the next guy rips a bases clearing double to turn a 4-1 deficit into a 5-4 victory. Oops!” wrote one viewer.

“A bases loaded intentional walk in LITTLE LEAGUE… what a joke,” commented another. “Absolute shame on Florida and their coaches for that.”

The Florida Little League coach broke a baseball rule. Don’t put the winning run on base!

The decision might’ve just cost Lake Mary a chance to repeat as champs. Irmo, South Carolina will represent the Southeast in the Little League World Series.