Holbrook could face suspension for ejection
Chad Holbrook could face a suspension for his ejection in Sunday’s 5-1 loss to Wright State. Holbrook was ejected in the fifth after arguing to controversial calls with first base umpire John Puma.
According to the NCAA rulebook, head coaches will not face any added suspensions for a first ejection, but a subjective rule could keep Holbrook out of the dugout for the next two games.
The rulebook on page 29 says a head coach can be suspended for the next two games if he refused concede and leave the field. Holbrook appeared to continue to argue with the officiating after being ejected.
The Gamecocks (5-3) play Appalachian State Tuesday before starting a three-game series with Clemson Friday. If the NCAA levies the suspension, Holbrook couldn’t coach against the Mountaineers and the first game of the weekend series.
“I’m not going to talk about the ejection,” Holbrook said after the game. “It was in the heat of the moment. The umpires do a good job. It’s a hard game to umpire; it’s a hard game to play. It’s a hard game to coach.”
Holbrook was arguing two calls, almost made back-to-back. The first was an overturned out call that put a runner at first base. The second was a grounder to first that pitcher Adam Hill fielded and tried to tag the runner. The umpires called him safe, and a run scored in the process.
It was arguing the second call that sent Holbrook to the clubhouse early.
“I thought I got him, but that’s the call the umpire made, so we had to play through it,” Hill said.
The second call happened with the bases loaded, and Hill opted to field the ball and make the play at first instead of letting first baseman Riley Hogan field it and fire home in an effort to get the force out.
“It was a bang-bang play. I saw the ball so I went to go get it,” Hill said. “It’s just kind of a tough, bang-bang play. I decided to go for the guy at first instead of the guy at home because I thought we had a better shot at it.”
Also see: Practice scoop from Wes Mitchell
It’s unclear if Holbrook will be suspended for the next two games, but a decision will have to come down before the game Tuesday at 4 p.m. against App State.
Holbrook did not comment on the ejection, saying the story of Sunday’s game was Wright States’s Danny Sexton out-pitching the Gamecock hitters and not the officiating.
“It was a baseball play,” he said. “Our umpires have done a great job calling baseball games. They did a great job this weekend. That’s not the story. The story is about Wright state and their performance today.”
