Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
KRYPTON — If you think baseball players aren't as nimble as athletes from other sports, you might want to think again.
During an NCAA Division I game against Murray State on Saturday, Indiana State left fielder Adam Pottinger showed off his agility by vaulting over the opposing pitcher to avoid the tag and reach first base safely.
With two runners on in the bottom of the third inning, Pottinger hit a ground ball down the first base line, which bounced off the glove of the first baseman. The pitcher was there to recover it, but by the time he grabbed the ball, Pottinger was already airborne above him.
"He should be on a gymnastics team somewhere," said the incredulous play-by-play commentator. "My goodness, how did he avoid the tag?"
I don't know which was more miraculous, that Pottinger managed to fly over the pitcher to avoid the tag, or that he didn't hurt himself coming back down. Pottinger didn't get credit for a base hit — the play was ruled an error by the first baseman — but he did drive in a run to give the Sycamores a 4-0 lead.
The Indiana State athletic department compared Pottinger to The Man of Steel in their game recap, writing "Pottinger played Superman leaping over the MSU pitcher to reach first base on an error in the bottom of the third inning."
Sure, Pottinger's leap wasn't the most graceful, but it got the job done, and could serve as a useful audition tape should he try to land a role in the next Justice League movie.
And, if his Twitter feed is any indication, it's not the first — or last — spectacular play he's made. Later in that same game, he recorded another web gem play by nearly diving over the left field wall to snag a foul ball, to the bewilderment of his teammates watching from the bullpen.
T6 | It's the @adam_pottinger highlight reel today!
— Indiana State Baseball (@IndStBaseball) May 13, 2023
Another 💎 from the Sycamore left fielder going over the wall in the Sycamore bullpen#MarchOn | #SCTop10pic.twitter.com/YnnprQITgD
