When a win becomes a loss, then becomes a win
Confusing scenario at close of Emerson-North Bergen game leads to ruling
At first, it had all the makings of one of the most dramatic finishes in recent high school baseball memory. As it turned out, it evolved into one of the more memorable outcomes in Hudson County baseball history, with a winning team being declared a loser and then finally being declared a winner again.
Here’s the scenario: Trailing North Bergen, 6-4, in the bottom of the seventh inning, in a must-win game for both teams, Emerson’s Pedro Guzman stepped to the plate with two outs and proceeded to get two strikes against him. Things didn’t look good for the hometown Bulldogs.
However, Guzman defeated all odds by blasting a three-run home run over the right field wall in Roosevelt Stadium, which gave the Bulldogs a thrilling 7-6 victory.
"Once he hit it, I didn’t want the kids to miss the bases," said first-year Emerson head coach Vin Mazzilli. "It was a great win. It was unbelievable. The kids were all excited."
Guzman’s homer scored Willy Morel from second and Robert Barraza from first. Or so it seemed.
In his jubilation, Barraza took off his helmet as he rounded the bases and apparently threw the helmet into the air, allegedly in the direction of the North Bergen bench.
That’s when North Bergen coach Brian Boyce sprung into action. He immediately went to home plate umpire Jim Zielinski and proclaimed that Barraza should have been called out for intentionally throwing his helmet.
Incredibly, Zielinski agreed with Boyce and declared Barraza out, giving North Bergen a 6-5 victory, even after the homer.
"The kid took his helmet off and whipped it 35 feet with malicious intent toward our dugout," Boyce said. "I went up to the umpire and asked for a ruling. The umpire said that his interpretation of the rule was that the runner was automatically out for throwing his helmet. That’s what the umpire said. It was a very bizarre play."
Sure was.
So much so that it enraged Mazzilli. He couldn’t believe what had transpired.
"Our kid didn’t even know what he did," Mazzilli said. "He took off the helmet by mistake and threw it toward our dugout. He didn’t even know. Everyone scored, the game was over. Nothing was said. But then the umpire said that the kid was out. I was stunned. The kid was excited. We won. Everyone was jumping up and down. He took off his helmet, but that doesn’t mean he should be out. I wondered if we were playing by some Russian rules or something."
The Bulldogs headed home after the game thinking that they had somehow lost a game they’d most surely won in the most dramatic setting possible. A three-run homer with two outs and two strikes? It was like the "Shot Heard ‘Round Union City."
"We went from an unbelievable high, winning the game like that, to an incredible low when we were told that Robert was out," Mazzilli said. "We have a young team, so it was tough to take. We left the field thinking we lost. I told our players that whatever happens, we’re still winners, because we fought right until the end."
Mazzilli was certain that the ruling by umpire Zielinski was wrong.
Guess what? Mazzilli was right.
According to NJSIAA state rules interpreter Tony Mascherin, the homer should stand and Emerson should have a 7-6 win.
"My understanding is that the play would be completed," Mascherin said. "The rule is that a runner cannot remove his helmet while the ball is alive. If he removes his helmet, the team is supposed to receive a warning. If anyone does the same thing, then the player should be ejected."
Added Mascherin, "But that does not apply in this case. At worst, if there was a malicious intent, he should have been ejected. But he shouldn’t have been called out, no way. Ejected, not called out. It was a misapplication of the rule and they [Emerson] have a right to protest the call. You can’t protest a judgment call. But this is a rule misapplication, so they have the right. If everything that was told to me was true, in my eyes, the runs should be allowed."
However, the NJSIAA does not have the authority to rule in this case. The ruling lies within the baseball committee of the HCIAA, and the group was planning to meet to discuss the matter last Thursday afternoon.
Boyce knows now that his protest will be overturned and Emerson will be given the much-deserved victory.
"I didn’t think we won, but I was under the impression that if you took your helmet off, you were out," Boyce said. "I’m not going to pursue it. I don’t have sour grapes. We lost. It was a very bizarre play. I’m waiting for the official ruling."
It’s been a tough few weeks for the Bruins, who have fallen to 8-7 overall and are now in danger of missing out of the upcoming HCIAA playoffs. Boyce has also lost his two top pitchers, Anibal Santiago and Emil Fuda, to injuries.
Santiago, who was a hero in last year’s state sectional championship run, is lost for the season with an elbow problem. Fuda, who has had to endure his share of illness and injury throughout his career, has a dislocated kneecap and is awaiting word on a return.
"We’re a little banged up," Boyce said. "We’re doing the best we can right now. We’ll see what happens."
Mazzilli’s team is 7-4 with the win over North Bergen and 5-3 in the HCIAA. The long-awaited win was much needed.
"You can’t fault our kids for getting excited," Mazzilli said. "It was a huge win and we deserved it."
Even if it took more than 48 hours to officially receive it.