Sports

Clemson BsB Coach Dares Umpires To Toss Him Next Year After Landing Bogus Ejection In Season Finale

#clemson university
by
Clemson baseball coach Erik Bakich speaks to umpires before a game.

Getty Image


Clemson head baseball coach Erik Bakich is the Tigers’ emotional leader in the dugout. Sometimes, that emotion results in an early exit from the diamond – as was the case in his team’s season finale against Florida.

Bakich was tossed as part of an egregious double ejection in that Super Regional matchup for inciting the home crowd following a heated moment in the action.

That ejection came at a controversial point of the game after the Tigers smacked a go-ahead 13th inning home run with their season on the line. Alden Mathes, the player who hit the bomb, spiked his bat in celebration while trotting down the first base line.

It landed an immediate response from the umpiring crew, who warned the batter not to do so again. Unhappy with that response, assistant Jack Leggett gave the crew a piece of his mind and was swiftly shown the door.

Soon thereafter, Erik Bakich attempted to reel things in while also getting some clarity on what had just transpired. After discussing the somewhat confusing moment with umpires, he gestured to the crowd.

Pumping up the fans following that go-ahead homer or inciting the crowd to go after officials? That’s up for debate!

The crew took immediate offense, telling Bakich to join his assistant, Leggett, in the locker room for the rest of the game.

Erik Bakich was asked about that ejection, and how he intends on handling similar situations in the future.

He dared umps to come after him!

“Would I incite the crowd again? Heck yes!… If inciting the crowd is grounds for ejection, I’m gonna get ejected a whole lot.”

While his intensity can sometimes lead to those negative results, in most cases, it’s a huge positive. The guy wears his emotion on his sleeve, demonstrated no better than following the Tigers’ Regional clinching win over instate foe Coastal Carolina earlier in the postseason.

Not many coaches will be seen climbing stadium walls with college-aged athletes in celebration of a monumental win – but he’s not like many coaches!

Not only does Bakich inject life into his program, but he’s made Clemson a destination for both high school baseball recruits and talented transfers.

Erik Bakich led Clemson to its first Super Regional in over a decade this season, and though it ended with that ejection, he doesn’t intend to slow down. It will be fun to see what’s in store for the Tigers (and for umpiring crews!) next year.