(We made a list. We checked it twice. From now until New Year’s Eve, we are counting down the top ten headlines of 2019. Today, we look at #3 on our list.)
3. The Batflip Heard ‘Round the World
Samantha Show got to Stillwater, Oklahoma as a transfer with a single year of eligibility remaining. She was expected to help solidify the Oklahoma State pitching rotation and add depth to the team’s batting order. Though anticipation was high for her arrival, very few people had “Viral star” on their list of expectations.
In early March, Show and the Cowgirls traveled to Eugene, Oregon for a weekend 3-game set against the Oregon Ducks. In a tough road environment, the series promised to see what the Cowgirls were made of. After Show pitched a 1-hit, complete game shutout in the series opener, the second game of the series proved to be far more of a barn-burner as the teams traded runs early.
With Ducks ace Jordan Dail on the mound in the fifth inning of game two, Show cranked a solo home run that tied the game at 3-all. The ball rocketed over the left field fence off her bat, clearing the wall by several yards, and Show took a few steps out of the batter’s box before enthusiastically flipping her bat back towards the dugout, then breaking into her home run trot around the bases.
The game was being broadcast on the PAC-12 Network+, and it didn’t take long for the video clip of Show’s batflip to go viral. “Batflipping” has been a hot topic in Major League Baseball for some time now, and Show’s flip garnered interest and opinions from a number of sports circles. Major sports sites picked up on the fervor, with outlets like SBNation, Yahoo! Sports, and MLB.com running stories on Show’s ‘flip.
As the season continued, Show continued to play with the passion that quickly became her trademark and success followed the Cowgirls, ultimately leading to their earning the 13th-overall seed in the NCAA tournament; an upset victory over Florida State in the Tallahassee Super Regional; and a berth in the Women’s College World Series. As the year wore on, the batflip was not just a one-time occurrence, but Show made it clear in media interviews that she never planned a ‘flip, but if the situation called for it and her “adrenaline was flowing”, that a ‘flip was always an option. In the WCWS, after another clutch home run, a Show ‘flip again made headlines.
The attention considerably expanded Show’s platform and notoriety, and added a lot of watchers to Cowgirls’ games, eager for an opportunity to see the newly-minted Queen of the Batflip first-hand. No word yet on whether Show and Jose Bautista – formerly of MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays and an infamous batflipper in his own right – have met up at any point to trade tips.
