A high school baseball playoff series in Texas is marred by controversy after a bone-rattling collision sent a player to the ER during the second game of three games. His father is furious with both the opponent and the governing body of athletics for allowing the play to go unpunished.
The intent (or lack of intent) is up for debate!
This latest high school baseball incident took place approximately 45 miles northwest of Houston in the town of Waller, Texas. No. 23-ranked Nederland High School played a three-game playoff series against Georgetown in the 5A-Division II Regional Semifinals on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The first team to two wins would advance to the Regional Finals. The other team’s season would end.
Nederland won Game 1 on Thursday by a score of 2-1. Georgetown battled back with a 1-0 victory on Friday night to force Game 3. It was then that the collision occurred.
Senior infielder Hayden Grooms started the game at third base. He was unable to continue after getting steamrolled by a Bulldogs baserunner, who began the play with a short lead off of second.
A shallow pop fly floated right into the gap between third base and shortstop. Both players went for the ball and, as they did, the baserunner took off for third. Grooms focused only on the ball and not the runner. The runner ran him over.
Classless and gutless by @NedBaseball @NederlandISD to allow this kid to play today. This is assault for what he did to my son last night. @uiltexas had a chance to do the right thing but did nothing. You have a job and a duty to protect kids. Yours and others. My kid went to ER pic.twitter.com/GFUNatEx6u
— Jason Grooms (@CoachGroomsy) May 17, 2025
Hayden Grooms’ father was furious with the Texas UIL. He called for a suspension.
Classless and gutless by Nederland to allow this kid to play today. This is assault for what he did to my son last night. The University Interscholastic League had a chance to do the right thing but did nothing. You have a job and a duty to protect kids. Yours and others. My kid went to ER
— @CoachGroomsy
There is an argument in favor of the crash. There is an argument against it.
On one hand, it seems as though the baserunner might’ve lowered his shoulder before he ran directly into Grooms. The hit might be targeting if it was football. He could’ve avoided the hit.
On the other hand, Grooms was not paying attention and ran right into the direct path of the runner. He took a step toward third base before he tried to track down the ball. There might be a rule that prohibits the runner from interfering while the defensive player fields the ball but, as I see it, the hit was collateral damage from two players on the same trajectory.
I tend to lean more toward legal than illegal. It is a very unfortunate incident but I don’t know if there is anything to warrant a suspension based on the rules as they are written.
Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Grooms’ trip to the ER was a casualty of the opposite reaction. He got rocked but did it warrant further action?
Nederland ultimately beat Georgetown in Game 3 to advance to the 3-5A Division 2 Regional Finals. It took extra innings.