Stetson protests result of Florida game after controversial call wipes away run

Stetson is protesting the result of Tuesday’s game against Florida. The Hatters had a run taken away after a controversial play and replay review.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Stetson was down 2-1 when Salvador Alvarez hit a line drive off the pitcher’s glove, reaching on the infield single. But Florida managed to apply the tag after the play, realizing Alvarez didn’t touch the green base. Instead, he hit the white main base.

The umpires went to the replay review, and overturned the call. Alvarez was out – the third of the inning, therefore wiping away the run. Stetson then said it planned to protest the result of the game. If Stetson’s protest is successful, by rule, the game would restart from that moment.

OH MY GOD. After review for Stetson runner touching the safety bag or not… Florida tags him out because he touched main bag.

Run does not count. https://t.co/TniI6FVHJT pic.twitter.com/0W9LJBEmKi

— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) February 26, 2025

The 2025 season is the first year college baseball implemented the double-base rule. It started in last year’s postseason, and is now officially in place across the sport this year.

On the play, the umpires ultimately determined Alvarez’s entire foot missed the green base. By rule, that’s the equivalent of missing the base, which is why Florida was able to tag him and appeal the play. The NCAA’s clarifications and interpretations of the rule spell out the procedure if a runner doesn’t hit the green base.

“If there is a play on the batter-runner and the batter-runner clearly touches only the white portion of the double base, it is treated the same as missing the base,” the guideline states. “If this failure to touch the proper base occurs during a close play and the batter-runner has not passed the base with both feet, the batter-runner should be called out.

“If the batter-runner clearly beats the throw to first base but misses the base and has both feet on the ground beyond the back edge of the base, the batter-runner would be called out if the defense appeals prior to the batter-runner returning to first base. The proper mechanic is for the umpire to make no call on this play as the batter-runner has not yet touched first base.”

The review ultimately kept it a 2-1 Florida lead, and the Gators broke things open from there. They scored three runs on a Cade Kurland home run that went off the Stetson centerfielder’s glove, and UF added one more in the ninth inning to make it a 6-1 lead to eventually get the victory and improve to 8-0 on the young season if the result holds.