NCAA Releases Statement On Controversial Home Plate Call, Anson Aroz Suspension

The Oregon Ducks saw their season come to an end on Saturday against the Cal Poly Mustangs. Oregon lost a back and forth affair 10-8. This was the Ducks second loss in the double elimination Eugene Regional.

On Friday night, Oregon lost their opening game to the Utah Valley Wolverines, 6-5. This game didn’t come without controversy as late in the game with the Ducks rallying, the umpires overturned a call at home plate not in the Ducks favor.

The NCAA's Response To Anson Aroz Play At Home Plate

Oregon’s Anson Aroz, right, collides with Utah Valley catcher Mason Strong at the plate in the eighth inning of the Eugene NCAA Regional at PK Park. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NCAA released a statement on the call made in last night’s game. One of then questions many fans had was why the Utah Valley catcher was not called for obstruction.

“This would have been obstruction by the catcher had there not been a violation of the Collision Rule 8-7,” the NCAA said. “Rule 8-7 refers to flagrant or malicious contact.”

The NCAA also dove deeper into what about Aroz’s action warranted this call to be made.

“If the runner does not make a legal slide or make motions that show effort to avoid collision trying to reach the plate, the rule (Rule 8-7) should be enforced,” the NCAA said.

By their own statement, if Aroz had not made “malicious contact” with the Utah Valley catcher, obstruction on the catcher would have been called and Aroz would have been called safe. The problem for Aroz and the Ducks is that the contact he made according to the NCAA essentially overrules the obstruction call, resulting in an automatic out and ejection.

NCAA statement on last night's controversial call at the plate in Oregon baseball's upset loss to Utah Valley. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/1EfmzXWDv2
— Ryan Clarke (@RyanTClarke) May 31, 2025

As for those wondering if the call can be appealed, the answer is no.

“The play was carefully reviewed and there is not an appeal process for the judgement involved to apply this rule,” the NCAA said.

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Oregon’s Anson Aroz, center, celebrates his apparent score against Utah Valley during the eighth inning of the Eugene NCAA Regional at PK Park. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The play in question was after a fly ball to left field in the bottom of the eight inning. Ducks’ outfielder Anson Aroz was attempting to tag and and score from third base. Aroz and the Utah Valley catcher collided at home plate with the ball going over the catcher's head. Aroz was called safe and Oregon cut the lead down to one run.

We have CHAOS in Eugene 👀👀👀

Anson Aroz has been called out and ejected for malicious contact for a collision at the plate. Utah Valley leads host Oregon in the 9th pic.twitter.com/r25VZGPJSE
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) May 31, 2025

After a long review, the umpires determined that Aroz collided with the catcher with malicious intent and called Aroz out. This resulted in Aroz being ejected from the game and suspended for Saturday’s elimination game against Cal Poly.

This ruling has caused an uproar from not only Oregon fans, but sports fans in general.

In the end, the NCAA says that while the catcher was blocking the plate warranting an obstruction call, the contact Aroz made with the catcher on the slide was unnecessary. It’s a really tough pill to swallow for Oregon, as there season has come to an abrupt ending.