What Alabama baseball, Wake Forest said about umpires at NCAA Tournament super regional
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A check-swing call in Alabama baseball’s 5-4 loss to Wake Forest in Game 1 of the NCAA Tournament’s Winston-Salem Super Regional was addressed by both coaches in the postgame news conference.
Following the Crimson Tide’s loss, Alabama interim head coach Jason Jackson and Wake Forest coach Tom Walter gave their thoughts on a call that preceded the go-ahead run and an ejection.
Facing an 0-2 count in the bottom of the fifth with the game tied at 3, Wake Forest’s Danny Corona appeared to swing at a pitch that would have ended the inning.
On the check-swing call, the third base umpire said Corona didn’t go around and the inning continued. On the next pitch, Corona hit a two-out, go-ahead home run to put Wake Forest up 4-3, drawing an angry response from the Alabama dugout.
“Check swings are tough calls. Those guys got a tough job on that. … From where we’re at (in the dugout), obviously we thought it was strike three,” Jackson said.
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“It’s an emotional game – that’s a big swing – and the guy hits a home run. Emotions get the best of you, probably, a little bit. I thought he went, but that’s always a tough call for umpires.”
Walter agreed: “When it happened live, I thought he probably went. But nobody’s got a better view of it than the third base umpire. These guys are in this game for a reason and they’re the best at what they do. Again, I trust those guys to make good calls and get them right. I thought the home plate umpire was super consistent and did a great job.”
Ahead of the top of the sixth inning, Alabama assistant coach Matt Reida was ejected and walked down the right-field line before exiting David F. Couch Ballpark.
The Demon Deacons (51-10) and Crimson Tide (43-20) play Game 2 of their best-of-three series at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday. Wake Forest would advance to the College World Series with one more victory. The Tide will try to force a decisive Game 3 on Monday with hopes of getting to Omaha for the first time since 1999.
“No high highs, no low lows. … This is what I always tell the guys: If you win, go home and enjoy it. If you lose, go home and be pissed – it’s OK,” Jackson said.
“But when you go to bed (Saturday night), we’re not gonna bring it to the yard (Sunday).”
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Alabama baseball, Wake Forest coaches discuss check-swing call
