Sports

Charleston Baseball Coach Risks Suspension By Chest Bumping Umpire During Angry Meltdown

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FloCollege / Charleston Athletics


The College of Charleston baseball team fell in midweek action to Georgia Southern on Wednesday night. Head coach Chad Holbrook was ejected in the fifth inning.

The coach put himself at risk of a suspension by making contact with an umpire while voicing his disgust with the strike zone.

The Cougars were trailing 4-0 at the time of the tossing. The tirade did little to motivate the home team.

Chad Holbrook earned his ejection.

Holbrook was upset with balls and strikes throughout the first five innings of a frustrating night. It came to a head in the top half of the frame.

Charleston pitcher Austin Wiegandt had a 1-2 count on Georgia Southern’s James McCoy. Holbrook believed his reliever was being squeezed.

The coach had been vocally critical of the strike zone. He got that point across by hopping out of the dugout to confront the umpire.

Holbrook was quickly tossed. It did not end his tirade. The coach continued to give the home plate blue an earful. He then made contact with the official before returning to the clubhouse.

Charleston baseball coach bumps umpire.

At the tail end of the meltdown, Chad Holbrook made contact with the umpire. He gave a subtle chest bump before exiting the field.

That contact could lead to a suspension.

We saw a similar outcome in the College World Series final last season when Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall bumped an umpire during a game vs. LSU. He was subsequently suspended for two games.

College of Charleston would lose the baseball game, 5-2. Chad Holbrook was not in the dugout for the last five innings. He might also be barred from coaching in an upcoming conference series vs. Campbell.

A ruling on his future has not yet been made.