Major League speeds up game following massive rule changes

no easy feat — Clark has been one of the most electrifying players in college basketball this year and was coming off back-to-back 41-point performances entering the game. The script for NCAA Player of the Year Clark to win it all seemed perfect. However, the Tigers from Baton Rouge had not backed down to any player or team this season, and they were not about to start against Clark and the Hawkeyes.

When the highly anticipated game finally started, the main focus was not on the players as much as it was on the referees. Multiple players from both teams got into early foul trouble — Reese and LaDazhia Williams for the Tigers and Clarke and Monika Czinano for the Hawkeyes. This raised serious tension among the coaching staff and the officials — coach Mulkey, who was sporting a sequined tiger print pantsuit, made her displeasure very known from the Tigers’ bench.

So with some of the major names of the game already in foul trouble, the opportunity for an unsung hero to step up was ripe for the picking.

See NCAA, 10 ☛

■ The first weekend of the 2023 Major League Baseball season has been played, and it looks a bit different this year.

By JOSH GANS JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Did anyone notice that Major League Baseball games went by faster this past weekend? Well, that’s because it actually did. This season, the league is showcasing new rule changes in an attempt to speed up the play in response to a dip in viewership and interest. Baseball, a sport historically labeled “America’s pastime” is rebranding itself to appeal to younger viewers. Games have been getting much longer over the years; therefore, interest in the sport has faltered. In fact, since 2012, every season has averaged more than three hours per game. Though quite a small sample size, as of April 3, this season has seen a major drop to two hours and 38 minutes per game — the shortest game time since 1981.

What are the changes that have sparked this rapid decrease? Perhaps the biggest is the introduction of the pitch timer. Previously, pitchers had as long as they wanted to set up their pitch, get in the zone, and ice the hitter. Now, there is a 30-second timer between the end of the previous at-bat and the first pitch to the next batter. In the middle of an at-bat, the pitcher has 15 seconds in between pitches with no runners on and 20 seconds with runners on base. If players do not follow this rule, they will be charged with an automatic ball to the hitter. On the other end, the batters must be ready to hit by the eight second mark or they will be charged with a strike. Some other time-reducing efforts have also been made — speeding up the process of reviewing replays, regulating position players pitching, reinforcing the automatic runners at second base in extra innings, and adding PitchCom. While useful for time-saving purposes, the additions of these rules could affect player performance; it could hurt their natural rhythm or build a more consistent pace for them. Based on limited data, the pitch clock looks like it helped the pitching staffs, as it is the lowest average runs per game since 2014. No matter the result, fans are starting to enjoy baseball again — meshing the traditional values of the game with the pace of today’s society.

On the field, we have seen some high intensity and great storylines. There are three undefeated teams remaining — the Tampa Bay Rays, the Minnesota Twins, and the Texas Rangers. The Boston Red Sox have been one of the most exciting teams so far, playing three electrifying games with the Baltimore Orioles. In the first game, the O’s led 10-4 in the seventh inning, only for the Red Sox to climb back into it, making it 10-8 in the ninth. Masataka Yoshida grounded into a seemingly routine double-play to end the game, only for the throw to first to get away, bringing it to 10-9. The Orioles were able to close out the game for Opening Day but faced an eerily similar fate the next day. Leading 7-1 in the third inning, the tides changed, and Baltimore barely held onto a 8-7 lead with two outs in the ninth. A routine