HS Baseball Game Stopped Mid-Inning Over COVID-19

A high school baseball season in eastern Iowa was abruptly suspended mid-game after word was received that one of the players may have been exposed to COVID-19. 

In a post to Twitter, the Western Dubuque baseball team said that it was required to shut down its season in the top of the third inning in a game at Cedar Rapids Washington High School.

WDHS baseball has been shutdown for precautionary reasons due to COVID-19. Our games with CRWashington are suspended (WD was up 6-1 batting in the top of 3). We will await test results as we self quarantine and determine next steps!

— WDHS Baseball (@WDHSbaseball) July 2, 2020

The cause was possible exposure to COVID-19.

“As a Western Dubuque administration, we were notified of some information on possible exposure in our baseball program and decided it was in the best interest of all athletes, coaches, umpires and community members to stop the games,” Western Dubuque Activities Director Tyler Lown told The Gazette.

Washington head coach Casey Bryant said the game was cancelled immediately after he learned from his administration that possible exposure had occurred. 

“It was described to me as a negligence issue,” Bryant said. “When the game started, we had no knowledge of any potential cross-examination between a positive COVID result and some of the baseball players. Our administration found out, and as soon as they got that information, they had to act immediately because you don’t want the risk of exposing someone when you have that knowledge.”

The potential exposure was due to a varsity player from Washington whose sibling was diagnosed with COVID-19. 

“Just to be sure we are stopping potential spread here, we are shutting everything down,” Bryant said. “They are trying to finalize the contract tracing ... We could be back up and running tomorrow. I think our sophomores are waiting on a test result.”