In an NAIA matchup between Grand View University and Southeastern University on Saturday, what could have been a terrible situation turned into an inspiring one.
The game was a matchup of two highly-ranked teams, with Southeastern ranked at #4 in the nation and Grand View at #11.
Grand View catcher Kaitlyn Moses stepped to the plate in the fifth inning. The bases were loaded with two outs in the inning and Moses’ squad trailed by three runs. Moses hit the second pitch she saw over the right-field fence for a grand slam to give her team the lead.
As she rounded first base and headed to second on her home run trot, though, Moses stumbled and fell. As her teammates rounded the bases, Moses tapped her left leg as the signaled to her coaches and was not able to stand up.
Two Southeastern players wasted little time taking action – with their support, they initially helped Moses to her feet, then formed a “chair” and carried her around the bases, helping her complete the home run ‘trot’ by touching each necessary base along the way. Had one of Moses’ teammates or coaches assisted her, she would have been called out – but members of the opposing team are allowed to do so and the Southeastern players didn’t seem to think twice, even though Moses’ run would be the game-leading score at that point.
Southeastern’s Chapel Cunningham (#5) and Leah Gonzalez (#8) were the players who took the initiative to help their injured opponent.
The moment invoked memories of a game between Central Washington and Western Oregon from 2008. A similar incident happened there – after hitting a home run, a player went down with injury and was carried around the bases by two members of the opposing team in order to complete the home run ‘trot’. That moment won multiple awards, including an ESPY for ‘Best Moment’.
WATCH the full video of Saturday’s inspiring happenings HERE.
