A Tennessee High School Got Kicked Out Of The State Playoffs After A Kid Threw A 16-Strikeout No-Hitter But Went One Pitch Over The Pitch Count Limit

Main Street Preps — Ensworth’s baseball season ended Thursday when the Tigers were required to forfeit a tournament elimination game after it was determined Tigers pitcher and Vanderbilt commitment Connor Cobb exceeded the TSSAA-mandated pitch count against Father Ryan on Wednesday. 

Ensworth trailed the best-of-three series 1-0 before defeating Father Ryan 5-0 in Wednesday’s Game 2 behind Cobb’s big performance. Cobb threw a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts in seven innings in the forfeited win, which would have tied the series at 1-1 in the Division II-AA Middle Region tournament. 

Some time afterward, it was discovered that Cobb, a junior, had thrown 121 pitches, one more than the maximum 120.

The TSSAA confirmed that Ensworth coach Jason Maxwell self-reported the violation of 121 pitches Thursday morning to TSSAA assistant executive director Gene Menees, who oversees baseball. The TSSAA penalty for a first-time pitch count violation is a forfeit, a $50 fine and a one-game suspension for the team’s head coach.

Oh, give me a fucking break. This is absolutely ridiculous.

Imagine having your SEC commit pitcher on the bump with your season on the line and he goes out there and throws a no-no with 16 punchouts only to have to forfeit because he threw one too many pitches. This used to be America.

I understand wanting to protect young arms and all that, but this is insane. He can't finish the batter? This kid put on the performance of a lifetime and has it all wiped away because of one pitch. That's some bullshit if I've ever heard it.

Now with that said, if you're up 5-0 in the last inning and you know your starter is even close to the 120-pitch limit, you should probably bring somebody in for the last couple outs. This whole situation is still bullshit, but the coach is not entirely without blame.

I don't usually have a rooting interest in Tennessee private high school baseball, but I hope Father Ryan gets blasted in the next round. We can't have this situation lead to a Mickey Mouse ring.