You play until you hear the whistle. It ain't over 'til it's over. Don't give up too soon; there may still be a chance to succeed.

No matter which of these sayings you prefer, all three of them can apply to the situation that unfolded during the New York state Section V baseball championship game. A simple miscommunication, made during a routine play, ended up being the difference between heroism and heartbreak for two Central New York teams.

You won't believe it until you see it.

Get our free mobile app

New York State Prep Baseball Title Game Goes Viral for Wild Ending

It's the bottom half of the seventh inning in a game between the baseball teams of Hornell and Palmyra-Macedon. The two teams had been locked in a tight contest throughout the game, but in the game's final inning, it was the underdog, the fourth-seeded Hornell team, that was one out away from winning the Section V championship.

The game went down to the final strike, and Pal-Mac had runners on base. A hit would've likely sent the game into extra innings. Instead, however, the two-strike pitch was called strike three, though it was apparently dropped by the Hornell catcher after the call was made.

The catcher, unaware that the umpire had ruled it a dropped third strike, sprinted out to the mound to begin the championship celebration. Then, this happened:

In one of the most inconceivable ways possible, the second-seeded Palmyra-Macedon scored two runs on the final play of the game, and won the New York state Section V baseball championship by a score of 6-5.

Following the game, Hornell coach Joe Flint told The Wellsville Sun this:

“I blame myself a little, maybe I could have gone out and argued it was a dead ball and kept the runner on third and said, ‘Hey it’s tied now, put the runner on third and make them beat us.’ But we can’t blame the umpires, everyone is running on the field and I’m not sure they knew how to handle it either,” Hornell coach Joe Flint, via the Hornell Sun and Wellsville Sun

Here are some of our favorite responses to this video, which was posted on Twitter by Jomboy Media:



It's an absolute shame that an incredible game had to end on a play like this, but as you know, when it comes to sports, you never quite know what's going to happen. If nothing else, this will serve as a reminder to all youth and high school baseball players out there: keep your eye on the ball, no matter what.

The Ten Best Capital Region High Schools for Athletes in 2023

These are the ten best high schools in the Capital Region in 2023 for the up-and-coming student-athletes in your family.

Top of the Class! The Capital Region's Ten Best Public High Schools in 2023

School is back in-session in 2023, and according to Niche, students at these ten Capital Region public high schools are getting an A+ educational experience.

The Capital Region's Ten Best Private High Schools

With enrollment down across New York Public Schools, enrollment in private schools is up. Here are the ten best private high schools in the Capital Region.

More From WIBX 950