No one pays attention so runner steals home, a breakdown
What Happened
In a tense elimination game, East Carolina University (ECU) trails by two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. But they open the inning with a double and a single, putting runners on the corners. The first batter strikes out, but a run scores on the play, making it a one-run game with two outs to go. The hero at the plate is ECU's number one batter, who battles to a full 3-2 count. After fouling off several pitches, he manages to get a single, putting runners on first and third again. ECU's Williams, the potential game-tying run, is pumped up and signals a series of "gang signs" to his teammates, readying for a play. The next batter hits a shallow fly ball, allowing Williams to tag up and score, tying the game. The umpire makes a questionable call, but the game remains knotted. A walk then puts runners on first and second with two outs. As the new batter steps in, the ECU baserunner on third closely watches the pitcher and catcher's routine. He notices they are repeatedly looking down at their armbands, failing to keep an eye on him. As the count reaches two strikes, the baserunner seizes his opportunity, taking off for home plate. Neither the pitcher nor the catcher is ready, and the throw from the catcher sails past the plate, allowing the baserunner to slide in safely with the game-winning run. "He just had his head down. And he wasn't looking up. Easy enough," the heroic baserunner says after the game. This daring and heads-up play completes ECU's dramatic comeback, stunning the opposing team and coaching staff, who are left shaking their heads at the lapse in fundamentals that cost them the game.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentWalk-off steal of home plate in an elimination game.
ECU is down two runs in the bottom.
But they open up with a double.
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Then a single there to left.
Now we got runners on the corners.
So things are going.
Breaking ball.
Hangs it.
Caught for the first out.
But a run scores.
They tag up.
So now it's a one-run game.
Two outs to go.
And here's the hero at bat.
It's a 3-2 count.
And we're just going to battle here.
Number one is just going to battle.
Fouls that one off.
Fouls that one off.
He fouls that one off.
Stays 3-2.
Fighting.
Fouls that one off.
And fouls.
No, puts that one in play.
Gets himself a single.
So now we got first and third again.
Williams, he's pumped up.
He's also the hero later.
Oh, big old signal there.
Right?
Okay.
Chin.
Chin.
Horns.
Yup.
And now finger hook.
Everything.
We got everything going.
Those are gang signs.
First school.
Sanctioned.
First and third.
Little flair.
Is he going to tag to tie it?
He does.
Not a great throw.
If I'm being honest.
I love you guys.
That dude never lost faith.
Not once.
Do it again.
Do it again.
Kind of hard because you don't have a runner on third.
And there's two outs.
But we get a walk.
So first and second.
And then we get a pass ball.
Now the tying run is on third base.
There he is.
He's the guy that fouled all those off.
Got the single.
And he's going to study the pitcher and the catcher here.
Watch this.
The pitcher gets the ball back from catcher.
The catcher never looks at the runner.
After he throws it to the catcher, he turns to the ump.
Looks at his dugout.
The pitcher takes the ball.
And then they're both going to look at their armband to see what pitch is being called
or what sequence of signs they're using next.
Never check the runner at third.
He takes note of that.
But you just got to make sure it continuously happens.
Not a one-time thing.
So the catcher looks down at third there.
But that's not often enough.
Now we're just looking down again.
This is a 2-1 pitch to this batter.
That's a ball.
It's 3-1.
Just looks down again.
Doesn't look at the runner.
There's a strike.
Oh, no.
This is a new batter.
So he ends up walking that batter.
They didn't have footage of it.
So I took it out.
He ends up walking that batter.
A new batter comes up.
And again, they're doing the same routine with the bases loaded now.
Just looking at the armband.
And the 0-1 pitch.
Now it's two strikes.
So now, if you're the runner on third, you've been watching this.
And the batter's down to his last strike.
This is when you do it.
If that pitch was a ball, I don't think he does it here.
But it's a lollipop.
It just hurts my soul.
It's a lollipop throw from the catcher.
And then they neither look.
The catcher's turning the wrong way.
The pitcher is like facing that direction.
Never looks.
They're both going to go down at their armband.
And then.
Oh, shit.
Neither was ready.
No one was ready.
The batter actually got hit in the head with the ball.
And I think he was going to take his base.
Oh, wait.
Technically, is this not a steal of home?
Was that a pitch?
No, no, no.
He wasn't on the mound.
He must have thought it was a hit by pitch.
Which would give him the game-winning RBI.
But it wasn't a pitch because he's not on the mound.
It's a steal of home.
It's very cool by the base runner.
And a nice comeback from ECU.
Pitcher and catcher.
Breaking my absolute heart.
Coaching staff.
What are you guys doing?
Like, how does no one call this out?
You can't let that happen.
You just can't let that happen.
Take your shirt off.
Let's see the body.
I'm going to check you.
I'm going to hit you.
I'm going to hit you.
Let me feel those muscles.
Okay.
Ah, a little bit of a culture we got going on.
He got interviewed about it.
And he was pretty honest.
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Here's what the runner said.
What did you see to steal home?
He just had his head down.
And he wasn't looking up.
Easy enough.