The hidden ball trick never gets old, especially when it’s done masterfully. On Sunday, Coastal Carolina became the latest victim to the age old maneuver when it played against Clemson in NCAA regional play.
The big moment came in the second inning of Clemson’s eventual 12-5 win that sent them to the super regional. With runners on second and third and one out and following a sac bunt by Coastal Carolina, Clemson’s third baseman signaled for the ball from first baseman Jack Crighton.
He then pretended to hand the ball back to Clemson pitcher Ethan Darden. In reality, though, the third baseman, Blake Wright, still had the ball. Back at third base, Wright played it cool while waiting for Coastal Carolina’s Dean Mihos to step away from the third-base bag. Eventually, Mihos did just that, and Wright pounced for the second out of the frame.
Here’s a look:
It was a well turned play by the Tigers, particularly Wright, who slow-played it quite nicely. There’s no telling how the inning would’ve played out in the absence of such subterfuge, but it’s entirely possible Coastal would’ve put more runs on the board and perhaps altered the course of the game. Instead, Clemson pulled off some rarely glimpsed trickery to get a crucial out and improve its chances of advancing.
