Arizona Wildcats Nearly Lose A Game Because They Didn't Understand The First Base Safety Bag Rule

The Arizona Wildcats baseball team evidently needs a crash course on how the new double first base rule works.

Before the season began, the NCAA implemented a "safety bag" rule at first base. This means that the defender would have the rights to one half of the bag - colored white - and any batter sprinting through the bag would tap his foot on the other half - colored green or orange.

The thought was that it would help prevent collisions between runners and defenders, and its worked great so far. But there are some nuances to this new set-up that some Wildcats players still don’t get.

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 02: Brendan Summerhill #4 of the Arizona Wildcats runs towards the dugout in the third inning against the Tennessee Volunteers in the Astros Foundation College Classic at Daikin Park on March 02, 2025, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)

For example, if you’re on the bag, and you try to get back to avoid a pickoff attempt, you can only touch the white bag, and you have to treat the orange one as if it doesn’t exist. If you try to plant on the orange one, then you’re able to be tagged out.

Arizona outfielder Brendan Summerhill found that out the hard way against West Virginia last night.

In extra innings.

Summerhill stepped back on the orange bag on a pickoff attempt, and the first baseman held his tag the whole time. The umpire saw all this happening and signaled that he was out.

Fortunately, Arizona was able to pull out a 6-4 win in the 16th inning, but it could have been over a lot sooner if Summerhill had just kept his foot on the darn bag. It didn’t happen in this matchup, but those are the little mistakes that could cost a team the game.