Baseball Twitter enjoys obscure rule drama in Section V Championship game between Hornell and Pal-Mac

Hornell appeared poised to claim the Section V B1 Baseball Championship over the favored Pal-Mac during a gripping showdown in Batavia on Saturday afternoon.

With a 5-4 lead and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Hornell was in pole position, but a dropped third strike turned the game on its head.

While the Hornell pitcher managed to strike out the Pal-Mac hitter for the final out of the game, the pitch wasn't caught cleanly by the catcher. The catcher could have then won the game for his side by throwing to first base, but instead he dropped the ball along with his gloves and mask and went to celebrate with his team.

The Pal-Mac runner instinctively sprinted towards first base, while the runners on second and third crossed home plate.

Even Robert Peisher, capturing the game on video, initially exclaimed "Hornell wins it" upon hearing the out, only to be taken aback by the ensuing chaos.

In the end, Pal-Mac emerged victorious with a final score of 6-5, leaving both teams and spectators astounded by the unforeseen turn of events.

Jomboy Media posted a snippet of the chaotic moment on Twitter.

"Championship ends with two runs scoring on a dropped strike three while the other team is celebrating thinking they won... Brutal" - Jomboy Media posted.

The incident left MLB fans on Twitter in splits.

"This is something else... Over-celebration is a disease," one fan commented.

"What a wrong way to lose. Those poor kids. Catcher and team base coaches should have known that rule. Oop," another fan commented.

What is the dropped third strike rule that happened during the match between Hornell and Pal-Mac?

The dropped third strike rule comes into play when the pitch on the final strike eludes the catcher, either by not being caught or dropping before it can be securely gathered. This rule applies when there are no runners on first base or two outs in the inning. In this scenario, the batter automatically become a base runner and is allowed to advance to first base.

However, due to the intricacies surrounding this rule, it often leads to confusion on the field. The various possibilities and exceptions can make it challenging to interpret and implement correctly. As a result, players, umpires, and spectators may find themselves grappling with the nuances of the rule, leading to moments of uncertainty and debate during its application.