Chase Hampton took the mound for the Hudson Valley Renegades and came out firing strikes. After giving up a leadoff double and a four-pitch walk, trouble started brewing. A ground ball to right field looked like a potential out at home, but the catcher dropped the throw. As the ball bounced and came to rest on the chalk of the foul line, chaos hit. The catcher couldn’t find it, even though it was right in front of him, blending into the white paint. The pitcher and infielders screamed directions, but by the time anyone spotted the ball, two runs had scored.
Things didn’t get better. A passed ball moved a runner to third, and another followed with a wild pitch, adding a third run. Then came a no-doubt homer to straightaway center. Hampton, clearly frustrated, locked in for the rest of the frame and struck out the next two batters to finally escape the inning. Despite the rally, he managed to settle down, but not before giving up four runs in one of the strangest sequences you’ll see. A ball hiding in plain sight on the foul line was the start of it all.