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Baseball: College | REFEREE April2020 BY THE NUMBERS VIDEO REVIEW By Referee Editors

COURTESY OF DVSPORTS video reviewsvideo withanaverage review timeof1:15. championship.” theNCAA to said. “Itwas overall boon agreat review wevideo system hadinplace,” Drouches undertheexpanded diminished were greatly well. the gamesproceeded reviews. ofthose outcome worked,the process whatwas reviewed andthe —thatgives athowtechnology aninsidelook — thecompany review thatprovided thevideo areportfrom DVSport umpires,shared of super regionals,too. theregionalsand during Omaha, Neb. Itwas used Let’s take atthedata. acloser look the course of138games,therewereOver 187 thecourse “Pace ofplay was improved, andejections Drouches saidthereplay went process well and Drouches, NCAAnationalcoordinator George wasn’t merelyattheCollege World in Series expansion ofwherereplay was deployed. It types ofplaysreviewed, canbe an but also not onlyasignificant expansion inwhat saw he 2019college postseason baseball Pittsburgh. wenttoacommandcenteratDVSport’stournament offices in super regionals ofthe2019NCAADivisionIcollegebaseball Video feedsfrom allgamesplayedintheregionals and REFEREE April2020 | 51

College Baseball: VIDEO REVIEW BY THE NUMBERS REVIEWS PER GAME 1.81 Of the 138 games in the 1.54 2019 NCAA Division I 1.27 1.27 baseball , 101 had at least one video review. This is almost three of every four games with at least one video review. REGIONALS SUPER CWS NCAA REGIONALS TOURNAMENT REVIEW RESULT COMPARISON NCAA TOURNAMENT REVIEW RESULTS

AVERAGE TIME PER REVIEW 74% The average time spent STANDS 1:19 per review decreased 58% 58% 21% 1:12 1:15 with each round of the 0:55 NCAA Division I college baseball tournament. CONFIRMED OVERTURNED 59% 24% REGIONALS SUPER CWS NCAA 21% 21% 20% 18% REGIONALS TOURNAMENT 10% 16%

CONFIRMED OVERTURNED STANDS

REGIONALS SUPER REGIONALS

AVERAGE REVIEW TIMES BY TYPE The force/tag category At the CWS, there were between nine and “No umpire wants to have is the most consistent, 11 additional camera angles for video review a call overturned. but regarding average 2:02 and three to four additional slow-motion the bottom line is this review times per round of cameras. These additional angles were not available 1:45 is a business, and if you have the the tournament. The fair/foul during the first two rounds of the tournament. The 1:28 category is a great example technology you want to ensure that additional footage could be a contributing factor as you do get the call correct, and 1:15 1:14 1:14 1:15 of the average time spent per to why the CWS had a lower percentage of video 1:06 review decreasing with each that we move on.” 0:57 0:59 0:54 reviews that resulted in the “stands” category, when round of the tournament. — NCAA National Coordinator of Baseball Umpires George

JUAN LAINEZ / MARINMEDIA.ORG / C/CAL SPORT MEDIA/NEWSCOM; COURTESY OF DVSPORTS MEDIA/NEWSCOM; COURTESY JUAN LAINEZ / MARINMEDIA.ORG C/CAL SPORT compared to the previous two rounds. 0:35 Drouches on the video review process in the 2019 tournament.

FORCE/TAG BASERUNNING TAG UP HIT BY PITCH PLAY AT PLATE WHAT CAN BE REVIEWED 2:16 For the 2019 and 2020 seasons, NCAA • A no-catch ruling in the infield in whether a baserunner scored ahead of baseball rulesmakers approved expansion some instances. With runners on base, a a third out; and upon an appropriate 1:42 of video review to include additional no catch within the infield can be changed appeal by the defensive team, determining 1:35 plays and added coaches’ challenges. to a catch only if it results in a third out. whether a baserunner touched a base. 1:24 Under the new rules, each team’s With no runners on base, a no catch • Plays involving a hit by pitch. 1:17 head coach is permitted two challenges within the infield can be changed to a • Deciding if a runner failed to per game. Plays that previously could be catch at any time. retouch a base after a fair or foul ball is 0:59 challenged include: • Spectator interference. legally caught. 0:47 • Deciding if a batted ball is fair or • Deciding scoring plays at home • Non-home run boundary calls foul. The ball must first touch the ground plate inclusive of collisions (illegal and/or including the placement of runners 0:24 0:15 or a fielder beyond the initial position of malicious slides) or time plays. following a boundary call. the first or third baseman. Added to the list of reviewable plays • Deciding if interference occurred on a HOME RUN/ CATCH/ CATCH/ FAIR/FOUL FAN Video review was used on this play in which DOUBLE NO CATCH NO CATCH INTERFERENCE • Deciding if a batted ball is either a for 2019-20: runner’s attempt to break up a double play. OUTFIELD INFIELD Baylor outfielder Richard Cunningham ground-rule double or a home run. • Force and tag-play calls at any base. Additionally, the crew chief could evaded the tag in the Bears’ 24-6 NCAA • Any catch or no-catch ruling in the • Calls involving whether a baserunner initiate reviews of certain plays at other REGIONALS SUPER REGIONALS COLLEGE WORLD SERIES regional victory over Omaha on June 1, outfield or foul territory. passes a preceding runner; determining specified times. 2019. Matthew Wilbanks, plate umpire.

52 | REFEREE April 2020 REFEREE April 2020 | 53 College Baseball: VIDEO REVIEW BY THE NUMBERS REVIEW TYPE BY TOTAL REVIEWS NCAA TOURNAMENT 79% REVIEWS BY TYPE

61% 61% FAN INTERFERENCE 1% FAIR FOUL 6%

61% CATCH/NO CATCH INFIELD 1% 61% 9% 11% CATCH/NO CATCH OUTFIELD 4% 8% 5% 1% 3% 0% 1% 0% HR/DOUBLE 1% FORCE/TAG BASERUNNING TAG UP HIT BY PITCH PLAY AT PLATE PLAY AT PLATE 8%

HIT BY PITCH 12%

TAG UP 3%

BASERUNNING 1%

FORCE/TAG 63% 5% 5% 5% 7% 5% 5% 2% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0%

HOME RUN/ CATCH/ CATCH/ FAIR/FOUL FAN Force/tag plays DOUBLE NO CATCH NO CATCH INTERFERENCE OUTFIELD INFIELD resulted in the most video reviews REGIONALS SUPER REGIONALS COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

in the 2019 tournament. OF DVSPORTS COURTESY

HOW THE REVIEW PROCESS WORKED For the regionals and super regionals, video review went through a central command center at DVSport’s offices in Pittsburgh. “Basically, we modeled what Major ESPN and could simultaneously access up League Baseball has done,” said George to 11 video angles. Drouches, NCAA national coordinator Overall, the video review system was of baseball umpires. Video review a huge success at the 2019 tournament, officials who were members of the NCAA Drouches said. “We didn’t have coaches baseball umpire program took a look at on the field, we didn’t have the ejections the video and made a decision: call is that we had in previous years, and confirmed, stands or is overturned. the arguing,” Drouches said. “Basically, At the CWS in Omaha, a replay everything fell into place, and I’m very room was established at TD Ameritrade proud not only of our umpires but our Stadium. Review officials had access to technology and our baseball umpire up to 16 independent video feeds from program. It was very seamless.”

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