Sports

Florida Softball Coach Goes Ballistic During Epic Tirade After Controversial 30-Minute (!!) Review

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University of Florida Gators softball head coach Tim Walton

© Brett Rojo-Imagn Images


Florida eventually defeated Arkansas in walk-off fashion during its college softball game on Saturday afternoon. However, it took the Gators a very long time to do so because of a lengthy delay that ultimately led to the ejection of their head coach.

The delay was unlike anything I have ever seen!

Florida, currently ranked No. 2 in college softball, welcomed the No. 12-ranked Razorbacks to Gainesville for a three-game series on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The home team lost Game 1 by a score of 4-1. It rallied back to win Game 2 in the ninth inning of a seven-inning contest.

Let’s jump ahead to the eighth. With the score tied at six, Arkansas had runners on first and second with nobody out. Karlie Davison stepped into the box and laid down a bunt.

As she took off down the first base line, home plate umpire Tom Meyer threw up his hands to call the play dead. He thought Davison touched the ball. Florida catcher Jocelyn Erickson fielded the bunt and threw out the runner at first but it did not matter because Meyer waved it off.

Because it was such a crucial moment, the umpiring crew decided to go to review. It quite literally took more than 25 minutes to figure out the correct call. Nobody really knew what was going on.

Both head coaches were completely baffled.

Arkansas Softball Florida Review Delay
ESPNU

Meyer and his constituents at first consulted the physical rule book.

And then they got the Southeastern Conference involved from Birmingham. And then the NCAA office. Florida quarterback D.J. Lagway stuck it out like a trooper!

DJ Lagway Softball
ESPNU

Nearly 30 minutes later, Meyer announced that the call on the field was incorrect. Davison did not touch the ball on the way to first. She was awarded the base.

The Hogs went from two on with one out to bases loaded on with nobody out. Gators head coach Tim Walton was irate. His team threw Davison out at first if not for the blown call.

At that point, he went ballistic and got ejected.

You can watch the full sequence of events here:

Florida ultimately got out of the jam, so no harm, no foul. And then, in the bottom of the ninth, senior Korbe Otis hit a grand slam to win the game in walk-off fashion.

It was an incredible ending to one of the weirdest college softball games you will ever see!

Game 3 will take place on Sunday afternoon. Both teams are hoping to avoid another 30-minute delay!