A controversial finish to the Bettendorf-Burlington baseball doubleheader Thursday left both teams grasping at their slim hopes to stay alive in the Mississippi Athletic Conference race.

A bang-bang two-out play at the plate, with Bettendorf runner Nathan Schmitt called out for bowling over Burlington catcher Jeremy Schneden, prevented the Bulldogs from scoring the tying run in a 7-6 defeat.

The second game came after host Bettendorf, behind three RBIs each by Schmitt and Keigan Scott, posted a 9-4 victory in the opener.

No. 4 Bettendorf (7-3 MAC, 18-4 overall) trailed the No. 6 Grayhounds 7-3 entering the bottom of the seventh of the nightcap after Tyler Gustafson belted a grand-slam home run in the sixth inning. But winning pitcher Taylor Janek filled the bases on a walk and singles by Jake Fenton and Scott with one down.

Mitch Overstreet, the winning pitcher in the opener, lofted a sacrifice fly to left before a walk to Schmitt filled the sacks with two outs. Mitch Jurevitz then socked a drive to the left-centerfield gap.

Fenton and Scott raced home easily, and the relay throw from Burlington shortstop Zach Glasgow appeared to have Schmitt beat at the plate. The throw glanced off Schneden's mitt as Schmitt plowed into him while blocking the plate.

Schmitt was immediately called out for running over the catcher, a rule instituted to help prevent injuries. It also carried a penalty of an automatic ejection and missing a team's next scheduled game.

"It's been a point of emphasis by the state association for safety reasons," said Burlington coach Dan Reid, whose team moved to 8-4 in the MAC and 20-6 overall. "The runner took the legs out of our catcher when he ran him over, and the strange thing was our guy had the ball glance off his glove.

"In 31 years of coaching, I've never seen something like that happen to end a game. It's a shame, but it is a rule."

Bettendorf coach Jay Fitzgerald said it was too bad that Schmitt couldn't have avoided running into the Burlington catcher.

"I was sending our runner (Schmitt) all the way; he had a full head of steam," Fitzgerald said. "I was trying to watch our baserunner, but I know their catcher was up the line to block the plate.

"Our kids have been told to slide, slide, slide at all times. The bad thing was that the throw glanced off the catcher's mitt, and if somehow he avoids the collision, he scores the tying run."