After ASU pounded Florida 14-4 last night, the Gators used their press conference time to criticize the home plate umpire.
They certainly were not shy about their criticisms either.
Here’s what senior left fielder Kelsey Bruder had to say.
“I’m looking forward to playing ASU without her (the umpire) behind the plate. I’m going to try and be as nice as possible, but I hope that whoever appoints her reevaluates her abilities. Not making excuses, ASU absolutely kicked our butts and they deserved to win today, but it was really hard adjusting to the inconsistent calls. I’m definitely going to shake it off. I’m probably going to be upset until I wake up tomorrow. Tomorrow’s a new day and we’ll hopefully be going for (Game 3).”
Bruder was pretty direct with her unhappiness, and the Gators were not finished. Senior catcher Tiffany DeFelice joined in the umpire bashing fun as well.
She was part of a disputed call during the top of the first inning. The home plate umpire ruled that Dallas Escobedo’s pitch did not hit DeFelice’s forearm, but rather the knob of the bat. Even after UF coach Tim Walton and DeFelice argued, she was forced to return to the batter’s box and hit.
“It didn’t hit the bat at all," DeFelice said. "I don’t know if bone sounds like bat, but it hit me square in the arm. It swelled up like a snowball and I had to have my trainer wrap it up. It was a rough night with that umpire. It was rough the first time we had her, too. I just hope tomorrow we can come out strong and play Gator softball and do what we know how to do best.”
I watched the replay of this pitch several times after the game. It looks as if the pitch actually did hit DeFelice on the arm. It appeared that the ball never made contact with the bat, just the arm.
So I understand Florida’s frustration with that particular play. But to criticize the umpire’s strike zone and entire game performance? That’s ridiculous.
Last time I checked, the umpire was not making the Gator batters swing aimlessly at Escobedo’s rise balls. I’m also pretty certain that the home plate umpire was not the one getting shelled in the circle and surrendering 14 runs, 13 hits, and four homers to the Sun Devils.
Bruder tried to say that she wasn’t making excuses for Florida’s crushing loss. However, blatantly complaining about the umpire after a loss is making an excuse.
Sorry Kelsey, your team didn’t lose because of the umpire. Your team lost because you played bad softball.
