LSU opts not to protest wild SEC Tournament semifinal, defeats South Carolina on walk-off home run

It looked like South Carolina and LSU were heading to the bottom of the 10th inning after a failed steal of home plate in the SEC Baseball Tournament semifinal. On the play, though, the umpires called a catcher’s balk – meaning the run scored and the Gamecocks took the lead while the batter got first base, leading to Jay Johnson’s ejection.

That was just one part of the chaos.

In the bottom half of the inning, Steven “Monster” Milam stepped to the plate and hit a walk-off, two-run home run to give LSU the wild 12-11 victory at Hoover Met. It was one of the more chaotic innings in recent memory, and at one point, the Tigers filed a protest.

GOOD BYE BASEBALL. 👋

COMEBACK COMPLETE.

LSU WALKS IT OFF TO THE TITLE GAME! 🚨@LSUbaseball x #SECTOURNEY pic.twitter.com/oWYJvvmI0h

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) May 25, 2024

However, prior to the bottom half of the inning, those plans changed. SEC coordinator of umpires Paul Guillie then joined Tom Hart, Kyle Peterson and Chris Burke on the broadcast to explain why LSU opted not to protest, and it came down to a discussion between him and the team.

“So, obviously on that play, we had judgment,” Guillie said. “It was not originally an interpretation. They brought the crew together on to getting the call correct. They ruled a catcher’s balk, which also carries the weight of interference, and when they awarded the run to home plate, the batter also gets first base. So when LSU lodged the protest, the only thing that’s protestable in that situation is the interpretation of the rule. Obviously, umpire’s judgment is not a protestable situation.

“So we got back with them, we don’t want to play a game under protest. We gave then the exact rule, which Kyle was reading earlier, with the penalty which clarifies the interpretation of the basis of the original rule was correct.”

What is the rule?

According to Rule 8, Section 3, LSU catcher Brady Neal couldn’t step on or in front of the plate. If he did, it would be interference and, therefore, a balk. That’s what the umpires ruled on the play.

“The base runner shall be entitled to an unoccupied base if the individual touches it before being put out,” the rule reads. “The base runner is entitled to this base until put out or the individual may be advanced one or more bases under the following conditions: on an attempted squeeze play or steal of home plate, the catcher steps on or in front of home late without possession of the ball or touches the batter or the bat, the pitcher shall be charged with a balk and the catcher with interference.”

While there was debate in the broadcast booth about whether Neal met that criteria, the play is not reviewable, per SEC rules.

‘Monster’ Milam sends LSU to the SEC title game

With Johnson deep in the tunnel, Milam took the plate with a runner on first base – who reached on a pitch clock vilation – in the 10th inning, hoping to get LSU to the championship game. With one swing, he did just that.

Milam turned on a pitch and sent it over the left field fence for a walk-off home run, sealing the 12-11 victory. That means the Tigers are heading to the SEC title game and would await the winner of Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt, which immediately followed.

It was quite a way to wrap up a crazy game. And for LSU, another conference championship will be on the line on Sunday in Hoover.