Batter cannot believe the umpire called a strike, a breakdown
What Happened
In the top of the third inning of a Little League Southwest Regional championship game, Texas West leads Louisiana 2-0. The game is a win-or-go-home matchup, with the winner advancing to the Little League World Series. Texas West pitcher Caleb West delivers an outside fastball, but the umpire shockingly calls it a strike. The batter, clearly stunned, turns to his coach with a look of disbelief, wondering if the call will be challenged. The coach, knowing this is the Little League World Series on the line, decides not to argue the questionable strike call. Louisiana's batter, Ethan Brown, steps up next and receives a similar outside pitch that the umpire again calls a strike, even though it appears well out of the zone. Brown reacts the same way, looking to his coach in bewilderment. The coach simply shrugs, understanding that in Little League, umpires sometimes have a wider strike zone. The at-bat continues, with Brown working the count full. He then puts the ball in play and Texas West's third baseman, Jack Hernandez, makes an excellent play, scooping the low throw and firing to first for the out. Hernandez nonchalantly returns to his position, confident in his defensive abilities. Fast forward to the sixth inning and Louisiana has rallied to take a 6-2 lead. With two outs and runners on, Texas West's pitcher, Caleb West, battles back to record the final out. As the team celebrates, the first baseman accidentally knocks West to the ground, but he quickly gets back up to join the joyous dog pile. Even the coach gets in on the action, leaping over the players to celebrate their hard-earned victory and advancement to the Little League World Series. As the team pours Gatorade on themselves, player number 11, Aiden Hernandez, sticks his head in to soak up the moment. These young ballplayers have competed hard and earned their spot in the prestigious Little League World Series tournament, a dream come true for any aspiring youth baseball player.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentwith a little wiggle of the pinky finger
they call for the outside fastball it's
texas west versus louisiana texas west
is up two nothing in the top of the
third inning southwest region winner
goes to the little league world series i
love the little league world series
let's see what happens he hits the
outside with the fastball way outside of
the umpire says no you got it strike and
the batter's like oh
what
no seriously
coach are we gonna allow this to happen
are you serious hump
wait so everyone's just gonna let this
happen
what
uh okay
guess we'll do it now i did some
scientific research here the little
league world series you're not going to
make him stay on the plate you're going
to give him a you know usually they give
him the black they give him the black
plus a ball off the plate in the little
league world series
and that's fair and everyone accepts
that so i built a wall of balls here
that's a ball off the plate and this
pitch is way outside but the umpire was
calling that both ways here's the other
team getting that same call in the other
batter's box and the kid making the same
face so let's see in this bat at bat how
it ends they call for the number two
here curveball change up off speed of
some kind looks like a little drop pitch
of some sort for a ball they say let's
double it up let's do it again here
comes the curve now it does have a nice
little shape to it it's dancing but
that's another ball 2-1 and now they
throw the outside fastball and that's a
nice pitch that's right there kid's not
gonna yell at that look at this that
comes right where it needs to be when it
needs to be it's a ball off the plate
umpire calls it a strike nice pitch by
that kid 2-2 we're gonna get a ball high
so now the count is full
and it's put in play and my dude at
third base scoots over keeps the glove
down and tosses him out to hold him what
a play by number 11. and this kid knows
he's good and i like him for it watch
this play third baseman ranges over gets
the glove down keeps it down on the low
hop makes the play and just says yeah
okay
back to my battle station here i go
yellow glasses matching the yellow in
his jersey little spit let's jump to the
sixth inning louisiana came back they're
now up six to two they got two runners
on though and two outs they're one out
away and the kids have a little pep talk
on the mound and my third baseman says
hmm
i got you man we're all good this guy
says hey just throw strikes
let's put it over the plate
we're all good and brown says okay
strike one boom
let's find that outside this hump likes
boom strike two
and then next pitch it's in play to my
dude at third throws it over and they're
going to williamsport boom out great
call now the pitcher gets knocked down
there by the first baseman tries to get
up gets knocked down again by number 22.
kind of just stays down now on the dog
pile and they're having fun being at the
bottom oh coach coming is he going to
jump on he's going to jump right over
and all the kids are looking and isn't
coach crazy that's kind of funny and
then number seven he's bringing the
gatorade all by himself and he's like
let's do it boys let's pour this on
ourselves and that's what they do
because they are on their way to the
little league world series i love number
11 just sticking his head in there like
i want some of this congrats to these
kids and congrats to the other team for
making it that far and giving it a good
game