[chapmaja]

We had the following situation in a HS JV game (NFHS rules) (I am the PU). The team in question had only the coach involved on the coaching staff. They were the host school, so an administrator was present to keep the game going.

Top 3rd inning, the host school (visitors for this game), have R1 on 1st, B2 is at bat with 1 out. 1-0 count on the batter. Pitch is a ball that gets away from the catcher and R1 advances to 2nd, then as the throw goes to the pitcher, attempts to advance to 3rd. The pitcher throws to F5 who is standing with one foot in front of (towards 2b) and one foot on 3rd base. She catches the ball when the runner is about 2 strides from the base and extends her arms towards the oncoming runner. The runner does not attempt to slide and simply runs to 3rd base without regard for F5 who she runs over. In the process of the collision the glove is knocked off F5's hand and hits the ground rolling free. Both players end up in a heap on the ground at 3rd base.


Here is what we did and the totality of the situation that followed.

The B/U calls the runner out for interference. He does not rule malicious contact on the play. The OC does not like the call and begins arguing with the B/U. She doesn't like the answer she gets from him, so she asks him to come to me for "help" on the call. He refuses, stating it is a judgment call and I saw the play clearly. (She already tried getting help on a call at first and was denied on that as well, since she wanted to argue the throw vs foot arriving). He tries walking away, but the coach is still trying to argue. I want to get the game going, so I ask the coach to return to the coaches box area, so we can continue. She refuses and continues to make her point known to the B/U. At this point he attempts to restrict her to the dugout. Her response is "I'm not going to the dugout." He is trying to walk away, but I consider this a major act of unsportsmanlike conduct, and I eject the coach. I then have to go to the adjacent baseball field to get an athletic administrator to come over. He agrees to take over coaching the team (as it is required to have an adult present for the game to continue). The coach has spent this time standing next to the bleachers. We talk to the administrator and he goes over to inform the coach she needs to leave the vicinity.

Fast forward to the 5th inning. I am asked a question by the scoreboard operator regarding the count or outs. I turn around (he is located directly behind the plate/screen on a platform about 6 feet up. This platform offers a clear view of the area behind the backstop. I look up and there is the ejected coach, standing, talking on her phone (to whom I don't know) and watching the game. I verbally indicate that she needs to leave the vicinity of the field, which she does.

Did we handle this correctly. I felt, given that the team has only one coach, we needed to give her a lot of rope to play with. She used all of that rope to hand herself and get ejected, which she did.

I felt the refusal to follow the directive of an umpire was a serious case of unsportsmanlike conduct, and as a result required an ejection. Would you guys have handled it the same way or differently?