How do two umpires miss a call that badly?

I’ll start by saying I was not in attendance at Thursday’s Belle Vernon-Charleroi Fayette County American Legion League game at Vets Field.

But I did see the video. C’mon, man. How is that call missed? What I’m talking about was the botched call at the plate in which a Charleroi player tried to score the lead run and was tagged out by the BV catcher with the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The problem was the catcher did not have the ball.

As outlined in the story on the game in MVI’s Friday edition, the throw to the plate skimmed off the catcher’s glove and went to the backstop and the catcher instinctively made a tag on the runner and then went to the backstop to retrieve the ball.

And the runner was still called out. Charleroi Legion manager Luke Mollis questioned the call and asked for an appeal from the base umpire.

After consulting with the base umpire, the home-plate ump upheld the out call.

Huh? An argument ensued and eventually, both Mollis and assistant Dave Sink were ejected. The game umpires then called the game off and left the field area.

The game has been ruled a “no contest” and won’t be finished.

Now, I know missed calls are a part of the game. I understand that finding umpires these days on the youth level is getting tougher.

I think umpires on all levels take too much abuse for their calls on balls and strikes and close plays at any base. Unfortunately, close calls are always going to be debated from one side of the field or the other.

But how do both umpires miss a call like that?

Maybe it’s time for instant replay in the Fayette County League.

Surely, I jest. I don’t think it is asking too much for competent umpiring and changing a blown call after the crew talks it over.

Mollis, who admitted he was livid at the time, said over the weekend he is past the incident.

“I mean, it was a really bad call and I don’t see how two guys can miss it? But there is no use in being upset now,” Mollis said. “Whether we had won the game or lost the game, it would not have made a difference in the standings for either team.”

Belle Vernon (13-0) has the league’s top seed in the playoffs and will carry an unbeaten record into their first series after a first-round bye.

Charleroi has the fourth seed and hosts fifth-seed Colonial 3 Tuesday in the first of a best-of-3 series.

“I don’t want to embarrass anyone because nothing good comes out of that,” Mollis said. “But I never try to get thrown out of a game and I think that was my first ejection in over two years coaching high school and legion ball. I wish I kept my head a little better, but at the time it was tough.”

He said the thing that bothers him a little today about the game is not the call, but that the umpires stopped the contest and left.

“Hey, bad calls happen and there really was no need to stop the game,” he said. “I still had assistants there to coach the team after we were thrown out. The players always want to finish the game and it was a pretty good game.”

Mollis said since he is a league offi cial, the less he says, the better.

“Everybody needs to move on,” he said. “The playoffs start this week and that’s where everybody’s attention should be.”

Yeah, but still …

Anyone with any thoughts, opposing views or comments on this column can reach Jeff Oliver by emailing justjto@verizon.net