TERRE HAUTE — It must be said that Friday’s NCAA Division III baseball regional between Rose-Hulman and Wooster, won by Wooster 11-8 in 13 innings on a two-out grand slam, was the most unusual game I have ever covered in my 16-year career, and conceivably, one of the most fascinating baseball games I’ve witnessed in 30 years of watching baseball as a fan or reporter.
It went from sublime to ridiculous sometime in the seventh inning and morphed from there into a madman’s fever dream. The dread of elimination had both team’s temperature up from the start, and enough controversy to last a season’s ensured that the teapot was going to explode at some point … and did it ever.
There were multiple things I haven’t seen in 30 years of watching baseball that were packed into one crazy game. I’ve seen successful umpire appeals on a runner tagging early, but I’ve never seen a run taken off the board and the restored. I’ve never seen a player throw his equipment at a ball, even at the youth level where you’d think it would happen more often. I’ve never seen catcher’s and batter’s interference called in the same game, much less both calls coming in extra innings with the game on the line.
And it’s entirely possible that I’ve never seen a walk-off grand slam in person, none jump immediately to mind, though I saw it again Saturday when Indiana State’s Brady Shoemaker hit a center field bomb against Illinois State to lift ISU to a 12-8 victory.
It was crazy, but it alone did not lead to ugliness at Art Nehf Field. I’ve not seen the umpires so completely determine the tenor of the game via one controversial call after another in a game of such importance. It’s not that they weren’t right — and really, that’s all you can ask for — but the long deliberations and perception of indecision undoubtedly raised hackles on both sides.
Because of all of the above, it’s unfortunate the indelible moment of the game will be the blow-up in the 13th inning of the Wooster coaching staff, leading to three Wooster coaches being ejected and a confrontation between Wooster first base coach Dan Wyand and Rose-Hulman coach Jeff Jenkins.
Due to the nature of our deadlines and the fact that Wooster played in the Friday evening game (won by Heidelberg 1-0), I was not able to talk to Wyand about Rose’s allegations that he verbally accosted Engineers’ first baseman Alex Decker or what set him off in his confrontation with Jenkins.
From a Journalism 101 standpoint, that’s not really fair. Even if most of you wanted to know what Rose-Hulman thoughts were about the melee, Wyand needs to have his say in the pursuit of both sides of the story.
Wooster left Terre Haute to return to Ohio on Saturday, so Wyand was able to read comments on the Fighting Scots behavior in the Tribune-Star.
“They’re a good ballclub, not a lot of class, but a good ballclub,” Jenkins said Friday.
Wyand called my office Saturday to give his side. Wyand’s problem wasn’t so much with the tenor of the players on the field, but the Rose-Hulman students directly behind first base and adjacent to Rose-Hulman’s dugout. The Engineers are normally in the third base dugout, but being the higher seed in a tournament game meant Rose-Hulman had to be on the visitor’s side astride first base.
“The fans on the fence, it was bad. They were on me, they were on our players, they were using profanity and making sexual comments about our players,” Wyand claimed. “It’s OK to root their team on, but this was terrible.”
Wyand said he brought it the comments to first base umpire Jim Muhleck’s attention midway through the game. Later, a NCAA official went out to observe the situation and a sportsmanship announcement was made to the crowd in the late innings of the scheduled nine. Wyand claims the comments “toned down” at that point, but Wyand was upset.
“I think that when their fans started getting our of hand, they let it go on,” Wyand alleged. “For [Jenkins] to come out in the paper and we say we’re a good team, but we’re classless, I think that’s wrong. They’re running the tournament and we’re classless?”
When reached Saturday, Jenkins said he hadn’t heard the comments from the Rose-Hulman fans that Wyand alleged.
“I don’t hear any of that stuff in the dugout. I control what goes on inside the fences. If he wants to take issue with the tournament director and security, they’re outside the fence. You can’t control what people say, but you can control what goes on inside the fence,” Jenkins said.
As for Wyand’s issues with Decker, Wyand admitted that he had some words with him during the 13th inning melee. Wyand felt that Decker got in the way of several baserunners during the game and approached Muhleck about it. According to Wyand, Muhleck warned Decker not to impede baserunners or Wooster runners would get an extra base. Jenkins said Saturday he wasn’t aware of the warning.
It came to a head in the middle of the 13th inning melee, when Wyand and Decker confronted each other.
“As [the melee] went on, I told the first base umpire, [interference with runners] has going on here for several innings,” Wyand said. “Their first baseman [Decker] turned and said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ I told him its happened more than once.”
“He said, ‘Old man, you need to get back in the coaching box.’ Then, I said something I shouldn’t have said in response,” alleged Wyand, who didn’t specify what his comment was.
At that point, Jenkins came out of the Rose-Hulman dugout to confront Wyand.
“Their coach came out of the dugout and he’s yelling at me. I said, ‘That’s classless what you’re doing, and it’s classless what your fans are doing.’ We were separated, then I bumped the umpire and got ejected myself,” Wyand said.
Wyand admitted that when he realized the next day that Decker isn’t a regular first baseman — Decker is a catcher — he understood some of what happened with the baserunners.
Jenkins said Saturday that he had a conversation with Decker and Decker claimed Wyand said something to him first.
Wyand was otherwise complimentary of Rose-Hulman’s handling of the tournament, praising Rose-Hulman’s students and staff for running it in an efficient manner. He even complimented some of the fans who were yelling at him during the Rose-Hulman-Wooster game, who approached him later to say there was no hard feelings.
And Wyand didn’t take the blame entirely off himself.
“I was wrong to say something to their first baseman, I should have kept my cool. I’m embarrassed for my part in what happened,” Wyand said.
Todd Golden is sports editor of the Tribune-Star. He can be reached at (812) 231-4272 or todd.golden@tribstar.com.
From the Press Box
From the Press Box: Wooster coach fires back at ‘classless’ accusation by Rose
- From the Press Box
-
-
TODD GOLDEN: Don't give up on ISU baseball just yet
If you had to pick one word that would describe the 2013 Indiana State baseball season, it would have to be frustration.
-
FROM THE PRESSBOX: Content McKenna has enjoyed seeing ISU's progress
It all happened so fast in June 2010.
One minute, Kevin McKenna was head coach of the Indiana State men’s basketball program. Then — poof! — he was gone.
McKenna resigned from his head coaching position at ISU on June 13, 2010 to take an assistant coach position on Dana Altman’s then-burgeoning University of Oregon staff. -
MVC can't wait on Crieghton to move forward
Will they go or not? That’s been the question that the Missouri Valley Conference and Creighton have been faced with since rumors of the Bluejays’ potential exit went public in December.
-
FROM THE PRESSBOX: Can Sycamores reverse fortunes heading into MVC Tournament?
Mastery of a basketball season comes in many forms. Mostly, it comes in forms that involve avoidance of turnovers, anemic scoring and poor defense.
The mechanics of X-and-O success in basketball are obvious, but what’s often overlooked in building a successful campaign is managing the rhythm of the season, which is the hardest thing of all. -
FROM THE PRESS BOX: Accountability isn't Lansing's alone in ISU's recent struggles
Taking ownership has always been one of Indiana State men’s basketball coach Greg Lansing’s strengths.
When ISU has lost games in his three seasons at the helm that it was expected to win, Lansing has always been willing to fall on the sword and take blame for it. -
TODD GOLDEN: Indiana State has far more occasions to rise to
Rejoice, Indiana State basketball fans. The Sycamores’ 68-55 victory at No. 15 Wichita State on Tuesday is worthy of celebration.
-
TODD GOLDEN: Big plays in last 10 minutes story of the season for Indiana State
You’d think I’d have learned by now.
It’s 20 games into Indiana State’s men’s basketball season and I still expect the Sycamores’ offense operate like a well-oiled machine from the opening tip. -
Sycamores blossom on Hawaii trip
Quick quiz … what’s the state flower of Hawaii?
Don’t worry. I can’t just rattle state flowers off the top of my head. I had to look it up too, even though I’ve seen them all over the place in Honolulu.
I didn’t even know that Indiana’s state flower is the peony, which replaced the apparently unloved zinnia in the 1950s.
Hawaii’s flower, and they’re ubiquitous in Waikiki tourist shops and in actual flora on Oahu, is the yellow hibiscus.
The yellow hibiscus is big, bold and bright. I’ve never seen one blossom, but I imagine it has to be a beautiful sight.
What I have seen blossom — and it’s the only reason flowers would be brought up in my column — is the Indiana State basketball team at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. -
TODD GOLDEN: ISU needs to have its realignment head on a swivel
Have you ever driven past a cow pasture during a severe thunderstorm? If it’s really bad, the cows will congregate in a herd to protect themselves from the tumult.
-
TODD GOLDEN: ISU AD Prettyman keeps it close to the vest
Do you want to know who’s on the short list to become Indiana State's next football coach?
-
TODD GOLDEN: Trent Miles leaves Sycamores with giant legacy
To glean perspective on Trent Miles’ time as Indiana State’s football coach, I went back into the Tribune-Star’s archives to remind myself of what the football program was like when Miles arrived to rebuild it.
-
FROM THE PRESS BOX: Scoreboard watching and the threat matrix for ISU
Indiana State football coach Trent Miles reaffirmed his belief Tuesday that a victory over Youngstown State on Saturday will propel the Sycamores into the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the first time since 1984.
-
FROM THE PRESS BOX: Twists and turns, but Luck passes eye test
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck made his much anticipated Lucas Oil Stadium debut Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
-
FROM THE PRESS BOX: Looking back and forward at ISU athletics
It started in State College, Pa., and ended in Eugene, Ore. Few Indiana State athletic seasons have spanned the nation in as many sports as 2011-12 did for the Sycamores’ athletic teams. And from coast-to-coast there was glory and heartbreak alike.
-
FROM THE PRESS BOX: ISU progresses under Prettyman
He didn’t say a word, but it was as clear as Indiana State Director of Athletics Ron Prettyman sat in the PK Park dugout and watched the Sycamores take batting practice prior to their NCAA Regional at Oregon last Thursday, he beamed with pride.
-
TODD GOLDEN: MVC pitching helped prepare Sycamores for regional
Nick Petree, Pierce Johnson, Ty Blach.
These aren’t just elite-level starting pitchers Indiana State’s baseball team faced this season. They comprise three of the last five pitchers the Sycamores faced period. -
FROM THE PRESS BOX: ISU baseball has pluses, minuses for tourney bid
Last Thursday, when Indiana State’s baseball jumped around in a celebratory dogpile after clinching the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship at Bob Warn Field, no one thought that a little over a week later, the dreaded NCAA Tournament bubble would fly over Terre Haute. -
FROM THE PRESS BOX: Subtle switch has fostered MVC baseball parity
When Indiana State was crowned as the regular season baseball champion of the Missouri Valley Conference last Thursday, it marked the fifth different regular season champion the league has had since 2005.
-
FROM THE PRESS BOX: ISU has done enough to be in NCAAs
When you get older, you’re supposed to get wiser. I don’t know if I qualify, but I’m trying.
-
FROM THE PRESS BOX: TH’s Murans back in the Derby … this time with favorite
When Terre Haute native Paul Murans experienced his first Triple Crown horse racing run as part-owner of Mucho Macho Man in 2011, the experience was — to borrow a phrase from one-time Marquette coach Al McGuire — seashells and balloons.
-
TODD GOLDEN: IHSAA debate interrupts more pressing issues
State Senator Mike Delph has sowed a 15-year-old wind and put the emotional class basketball debate back on the public’s mind.
-
TODD GOLDEN: ISU eyes prize one game at a time
Most baseball fans know that the baseball season — even a college baseball season — is a marathon, not a sprint.
-
TODD GOLDEN: Grass is green enough for Indiana State in Missouri Valley
Take a look around the Missouri Valley Conference landscape and it would be easy to assume that a significant portion of the league membership is searching for perceived greener pastures.
-
FROM THE PRESS BOX: Sycamores are Odum’s team now
Soooo … who wants to talk about the 2012 Indiana State men’s basketball season?
-
FROM THE PRESS BOX: ISU will face uphill climb in MVC in 2013
The Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinals are always scintillating. No more so than Saturday when Illinois State upset 15th-ranked Wichita State 65-64 and when No. 25 Creighton took care of business with a 99-71 victory over Evansville.
Arch Madness indeed. -
FROM THE PRESS BOX: Effort, heart, concentration are fleeting for ISU
Every time Indiana State’s men’s basketball wins a game, you think to yourself, OK, now is when these Sycamores live up to their potential.
-
FROM THE PRESS BOX: Peyton’s place belongs to Eli
The good people of Indianapolis justifiably puffed out their chests throughout Super Bowl week as the city received deserved rave reviews for the job it did as hosts of Super Bowl XLVI.
-
TODD GOLDEN: Teammates, colleagues express their loyalty to Weatherford
Sometimes you worry whether someone is stopping to smell the roses when they smell rosiest.
-
FROM THE PRESS BOX: Does melted ice reveal Belichick's heart of gold?
If you’re into Youtube — and who isn’t these days? — there’s a vintage television profile of then-Cleveland Browns coach Bill Belichick posted on the popular site.
-
TODD GOLDEN: Indiana State men caught between expectation, reality
The Missouri Valley Conference is hush-hush on how it puts together its matchups for the annual conference schedule.
- More From the Press Box Headlines
-
TODD GOLDEN: Don't give up on ISU baseball just yet
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Raw: Gun Scare Mars Cannes Film Festival
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Texas Gov. Flies Over Tornado Damage
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
Raw: Suicide Bomber Kills 2 Americans, 13 Others
Raw: Germany Protestors Picket Barbie House
China, Others Want What's Under the Arctic Ice
Raw: 6 Die in Russian Ship Fire
One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
Twiggy, the Water Skiing Squirrel
Sailor Surprises His Mom At Her CU Denver Graduation Ceremony
Official: ‘Amazing’ No One Was Killed In CT Train Crash
Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder
Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner
Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion
Beyonce Is Pregnant!
SF baseball player overpaid $500,000 RETURNS money -- and team says KEEP IT
Dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises family during Rays' first pitch
See Jennifer Lopez's New $10m Hamptons Mansion
Woman tricked into taking abortion pill
Emma Watson Goes Pantless
IRS scandal: Republicans seek to tie Obama to agency's woes
Play of the Day: Flipping to Safety
Pregnant Kim Kardashian Squeezes Her Swollen Feet Into Stilettos
Top Videos of the Week: Angry Taco Bell Guy, Glacier Moves on House, Dog Hates Baths
Cindy Crawford Stuns At Cannes
