IBERIA — Shayne Yeater was the unlikely hero during Tuesday’s softball game between Northmor and Colonel Crawford.
When the regularly scheduled umpiring crew failed to show up for the 5 p.m. start, Yeater, a licensed official and former coach, volunteered to call balls and strikes in a solo officiating role.
“I’ve been a sanctioned umpire, this time, for five years. My daughter (Brystin, a senior) plays for Northmor, and I just happened to be here watching the game,” Yeater said.
“I’ve been coaching and doing this my whole life,” said Yeater, who coached at the school for 13 years. “My oldest is 30 and I’ve been coaching since she was four.”
“When I saw they didn’t have an umpire, I called my wife and said, if they need an umpire, I’ll come down. I didn’t bring my stuff with me.”
Yeater took one of the Lady Knight’s catching gear and put it on over his T-shirt and shorts.
“When I first became the coach at Northmor in 2004 I went and got sanctioned as an umpire so I could understand the rules. I said I’m not gonna get outcoached because I don’t know the rules.”
Yeater says he’s umpired “off and on for close to 30 years.”
After being pressed into duty, he says he likely will make a change before departing for the next Northmor game.
“No, I didn’t expect to do it tonight. I’ll probably start dragging it (his gear) with me now.”
Both coaches agreed to allow Yeater to umpire the non-league contest.
“That has not happened before. That’s a very new thing,” said Colonel Crawford head coach Sarah Fraser after her team’s 10-1 non-league victory.
“It was hard to keep the girls focused (with the nearly 40-minute delay). We were hoping they would come ready to play and they did; they did,” she said.
Fraser and Northmor head coach Matt Wiseman, along with the fans in attendance, appreciated Yeater stepping in.
“It was a weird situation. Something happened (with the umpires). Who knows?” Wiseman said.