http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nmwRxl34uU
Fordham's Brian Kownacki scores by leaping over Iona catcher James Beck and landing on home plate with a handstand, to put Fordam ahead 12-9.
One of the more famous scenes in the comedic baseball movie "Major League II" came when fictitious Indians center fielder Willie Mays Hayes -- at that time played by Omar Epps -- dashed home, where White Sox catcher Jack Parkman -- portrayed by David Keith -- waited with ball in hand. As Parkman crouched down in anticipation of a hard blow, Hayes skied over his head, dove safely into home plate, then came back with the line, "Told you I wasn't going to slide!"
But that was a movie.
What Fordham University's Brian Kownacki did on Tuesday night was for real -- and he added a flip.
The video that's now spreading like wildfire on the Internet developed in the eighth inning, when Kownacki tried to score from first base on a base hit up the middle that was misplayed. The sophomore infielder realized he was meat at the plate if he slid, so he performed a front-flip to clear Iona College catcher James Beck and score safely after tumbling perfectly on top of home.
Iona's catcher, pitcher and manager all argued the call, but there was no denying the acrobatics of that play.
The miraculous flip highlighted a nine-run eighth-inning rally that allowed Fordham to come back from a 9-1 deficit and win, 12-9.
Braves rookie sensation Jason Heyward, who has been electrifying the baseball world, himself, said that the highlight reminded him of a play he once pulled off -- albeit without the same flair.
"That was pretty cool," said Heyward. "I did something like that, but I didn't flip over the catcher. I just jumped over the catcher, and it was in Little League."