Mark Kingston reacts to controversial reversed call vs. JMU in Raleigh Regional elimination game

It appeared as though South Carolina had a rally going in the fifth inning against James Madison on Sunday, but it was halted due to a controversial call. The Gamecocks were set to have runners on the corners and no outs after a bunt single by Will Tippett.

Instead, replay ruled that Tippett was running inside the base path. The James Madison throw to first hit Tippett, and after review, Tippett was called out and the runner on third had to return to first.

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South Carolina went from having runners on the corners and no outs to a runner on first and one out after the review. Gamecocks head coach Mark Kingston was understandably not pleased with the call.

He was asked by ESPNU what explanation he was given by the umpire.

“Yea, that’s a great question. We didn’t get an explanation, because the review is in a centralized place. We’re not allowed to talk to the umpires when it doesn’t go your way,” Mark Kingston said. “So obviously someone, somewhere thought that he was inside the baseline. We saw the replay on the scoreboard. Clearly it didn’t look like he was, but I don’t know how you guys saw it.”

While Mark Kingston didn’t agree with the call, ESPNU analyst Roddy Jones felt like it was correct.

Jones said on the broadcast that he thought Tippett was running inside the base path, although it was close. He did disagree with the umpires not giving Kingston an explanation.

“I can see how they feel like he wasn’t. I thought his last step was inside. He was inside the baseline the entire time, and I thought his last step was inside the baseline. So it makes it tough,” Jones said. “But as he’s getting to the bag he’s kind of back in line for where the runner’s line should’ve been. As I said when I saw the replay, I thought it was going to be overturned and it ends up being. Obviously South Carolina didn’t see it the same way. You wish you’d get an explanation to the head coach.”

While Kingston was unhappy with the call, he was pleased with the job his starter did on the mound.

Dylan Eskew allowed only one run in 5 1/3 innings of work before giving way to Tyler Pitzer.

“Yea, he’s doing a really nice job,” Mark Kingston said. “He’s thrown strikes. He’s getting his ground balls. He’s given our defense a chance to play and we’re playing well. So just need to keep that up.”