FHSAA strikes out coaches’ request

The Florida High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted against a policy change Tuesday that would have allowed baseball and softball postseason games halted by inclement weather to be played to completion at a later date.

FHSAA director of athletics, stated in an email to the baseball coaches advisory committee that the “game ending procedures” item will be brought back to the committee in the coming school year to be discussed, reworded and voted on.

The six-member baseball advisory committee and athletic directors advisory committee were overwhelmingly in favor of a change to the rule in votes held in each of the past two years. Their revision would require that all seven innings of playoff games be completed before a winner advances to the next round.

In 2013, Edgewater was awarded a 6-5 win in a Class 7A region final despite trailing against visiting Spring Hill Springstead when the game was called off due to inclement weather. The game went into a delay in the top of the sixth after Springstead scored four runs to take a 9-6 lead.

Because of unplayable field conditions and no stadium lights, officials called the game and the score reverted back to the last completed inning. High school softball and baseball games are deemed official after the trailing team finishes its at-bat in the fifth inning.

Springstead’s appeal to resume play at a later date was declined by the FHSAA.

“There are so many factors that could come in to play that could make it difficult to complete games,” said Lake Highland Prep athletic director Frank Prendergast, the presidentelect of the FHSAA board.

Among the issues cited during board discussions were umpire availability, the difficulty in forecasting when fields would become playable, and the challenges of covering costs for teams that might have to make unplanned return trips or overnight hotel stays.

“There are so many logistical issues to deal with in baseball and softball,” Prendergast said. “It’s not like sports that are on a clock, like football or basketball, where you know how much playing time you have to complete a game.”

Prendergast said the proposal stated that both schools must agree to resume a suspended game.

“We voted based on the language that was presented,” said Prendergast, who becomes the FHSAA board president in the fall. Creek’s the two-time Florida high school state singles champion, will play for a state 18-and-under tennis championship today at the U.S. Tennis Association national campus in Lake Nona.

Wolfberg, the 16s division champ a year ago, is playing up in age group this year at the USTA Florida Bobby Curtis Jr. State Championships. She’s won five consecutive straightset matches, including a 6-1, 6-4 semifinal win over

of Lauderdale Lakes on Tuesday. Timber

Apopka advanced boys 16s final.

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