Baseball Suspensions
RICHMOND,
Va. (March 20, 2012) - Colonial Athletic Association Commissioner Tom Yeager
has issued suspensions to seven players and two coaches following a series of
incidents that ultimately resulted in a bench-clearing brawl during a baseball
game between VCU and Hofstra on Sunday, March 18.
"We place a
high value on sportsmanship in the CAA and what occurred was completely
unacceptable," Yeager said.
The
disciplinary actions were a combination of the NCAA Playing Rules and the CAA
Sportsmanship Rule.
VCU head
coach Paul Keyes was ejected from the contest in the bottom of the seventh
inning for arguing with an umpire and will be suspended for one game (March 21
vs. Richmond) under the CAA's Sportsmanship Rule.
Hofstra head
coach John Russo was ejected from the contest by NCAA Rule 9-2-g in the top of
the ninth inning because a Hofstra pitcher threw at a batter after a warning. NCAA
playing rules require that Russo be suspended for one game (March 21 vs.
Manhattan).
Four VCU
student-athletes were issued suspensions. Junior Blake Hauser and senior Kyle
Pelchy each received a four-game suspension (three games for fighting and one
for a post-participation ejection). Junior Brent Mikionis received a three-game
suspension for fighting. Junior Ryan Farrar received a one-game suspension
under the CAA Sportsmanship Rule for damaging field markings during the March
17 contest between the two schools. The suspensions will be served during the
Rams' game with Richmond on March 21 and during their three-game series against
UNCW from March 23-25.
Three
Hofstra student-athletes were issued suspensions. Sophomore Bryan Verbitsky
received a four-game suspension for throwing at a batter after a warning.
Sophomore Matt Reistetter and junior Matt Ford each received a three-game
suspension for fighting. The suspensions will be served during the Pride's game
with Manhattan on March 21 and during their three-game series against Old
Dominion from March 23-25.