Sports

Florida State Baseball Coach Goes Bonkers In All-Time Ejection After Rival Pitcher’s Unsportsmanlike Act

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Florida State baseball coach Link Jarrett speaks to an umpire.

© Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat / USA TODAY NETWORK


Florida State baseball advanced to the Super Regional round with a Sunday afternoon win over Mississippi State. They had to do so without head coach Link Jarrett in the dugout.

Jarrett was ejected after the second inning of play following a strikeout. He erupted upon being tossed as an ump show took over Tallahassee.

The reaction came after seeing one of his Seminoles hitters go down on strikes for the final out of the frame. James Hankerson Jr. failed in his attempt to check his swing on a breaking ball in the dirt. Mississippi State pitcher Karson Ligon was animated after the K.

Ligon hopped off the mound, shouting a few choice words in the direction of the Florida State hitter as he made his way back to the dugout. An assistant coach addressed concerns with the umpiring crew, which sided against the Seminoles.

Jarrett was unhappy that his coach’s reaction, not Ligon’s unsportsmanlike antics, was the transgression being targeted by the crew. He lost his mind while giving his opinion to the home plate ump.

Link Jarrett was ejected for arguing with the crew. He went absolutely bonkers after being removed from the action. He commented on the dismissal after the fact.

“In terms of unsportsmanlike activities and conduct, there are reasons that was put in place,” he said in his postgame press conference. “I felt like with what happened, we were not adhering to the point of emphasis. That was what got me. I wanted to stand up for our guys. I did not intend to take it to that point, but that’s where it escalated.”

The opposing pitcher, Karson Ligon, was not punished. He stayed in the game for two more innings, throwing four scoreless frames and recording seven strikeouts.

Ligon has history with the Seminoles. He played for the Miami Hurricanes before transferring to Mississippi State. It seems some of his animosity towards Florida State remains!

The starter was 1-1 against his instate rival while at Miami. He did not pick up a decision in his most recent outing. Despite leaving with the lead, the Bulldogs‘ bullpen surrendered five runs across the last five innings in a 5-2 loss.

Mississippi State was eliminated from the postseason. Florida State will return to the field in the Super Regional with head coach Link Jarrett back in the dugout.