Umpire Bill Dithrich gets a hug from Valley High softball pitcher Caitlin Nealer at the team's sports banquet Monday in New Kensington. Dithrich was the guest of honor at the event despite making a call that made the Vikings cry.

NEW KENSINGTON — There may be no crying in baseball, but the Valley High softball team has now cried twice because of an umpire.

The Vikings cried on June 10 when umpire Bill Dithrich made a correct, but uncommon, call that cost the team an undefeated season and knocked them out of the PIAA Class AA quarterfinals.

And the team cried again Monday night when they honored Dithrich as guest speaker at the team's postseason banquet in New Kensington.

"This is an incredible statement for good sportsmanship," Dithrich said.

Dithrich, 56, who lives about 90 miles away in Meadville, was the home plate umpire during the game between Valley — then undefeated and already the WPIAL champs — and Wilmington.

Valley's catcher, senior Casey Bonk, stepped out of the catcher's box during an intentional walk prompting Dithrich to call an illegal pitch, which is similar to a balk in baseball. Wilmington had a runner on third who scored the winning run on the call in the bottom of the ninth as Valley lost 5-4.

Few have disputed the call, but some questioned its timing because so much was at stake and apparently the rule sometimes isn't invoked. Bonk said she didn't even know about the rule, noting the team played most of its games without a chalked catcher's box.

"I appreciated him coming tonight after everything that went on," Bonk said. "It showed a lot of pride on his part."

Assistant coach Rick Nealer, whose daughter Caitlin was pitching when the call was made, called the situation "a teachable moment."

"Umpires are under the microscope all the time," said Caitlin, a junior. "It's just a call. It's just a game. All it is is a game."

Valley softball booster Eric Felack, who also umps games, suggested inviting Dithrich after discussing the call with other umpires. Felack said he didn't think he could have made the call in that situation, prompting a fellow ump to ask what other rules he wouldn't enforce.

"We cannot choose which rules we like and which rules we don't like," Dithrich told the team.

Asked to describe being invited to speak at the banquet, a teary-eyed Dithrich said, "It was heartfelt and very touching. The first time in all the years I've been working in sports that I ever experienced anything like this."