CLINTON - The Jefferson High School baseball game with Clinton ended in a 9-9 tie Wednesday night following a controversial play in the bottom of the seventh inning that led to hard feelings on both sides.

Clinton trailed, 9-8, in the bottom of the seventh with one out and runners on second and third. The tying run scored on a single to center, but the throw from Jefferson center fielder Cam Frazier to catcher Ben Koering beat the second runner to the plate.

The runner tried to jump over Koering instead of sliding or going around him. The runner was called out, but Jefferson Coach Kyle Rodenkirk thought the runner should have been ejected for leaving his feet like that, according to the rules, but the home-plate umpire disagreed.

There was contact between the runner and the catcher.

"Our catcher caught it and had the guy out by about three steps," said Rodenkirk. "He tried to leap over our catcher, and our catcher's natural instinct was to put your shoulder down.

"Some words were exchanged by both parties," said Rodenkirk. "I ran to get my guys away from the action. Our dugout stayed good, they stayed put. We all kept our cool pretty good. Their dugout kind of came out."

Order was restored and play resumed. Jefferson got the third out in the bottom of the seventh with the score tied, 9-9, forcing extra innings.

It had been raining for much of the game and the field was wet. Before Jefferson could bat in the top of the eighth inning, Clinton decided to end the contest.

"Their coach said, 'Hey, I don't want to beat up our field any more. Let's just call it a tie,'" Rodenkirk related.

The J-Hawks got on their bus and came home.

"I'm just happy nobody came out of that with a bad injury," said Rodenkirk. "It could have easily happened."