Sports

Poor Sportsmanship Forced Arizona State To Bench Best Player At The Worst Possible Time

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iStockphoto / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect


The Arizona State baseball season came to an end on Sunday with an NCAA Tournament loss to Ole Miss. Superstar slugger Landon Hairston was not on the field.

Hairston was ejected in a previous game vs. Nebraska. It forced him to miss the Sun Devils’ final contest.

His absence proved costly as the offense struggled in a one-run loss. Had he been in the lineup, the team might’ve seen a different result.

Arizona State’s baseball season is over.

The Sun Devils made the NCAA Tournament after a 37-win regular season. They lined up as the No. 3 seed in the Lincoln Regional.

Arizona State lost its postseason opener against Ole Miss in extra innings but bounced back with two straight wins over host Nebraska and 4-seed South Dakota State.

It set up an elimination rematch with the Rebels. Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, the result would be the same.

Again, Ole Miss won by a run in extra innings. They held Arizona State to four runs across 10 frames. The Sun Devils hit .189 as a team. They were held scoreless in their final six plate appearances.

With the win, the Rebs advanced to the Super Regional. Arizona State, meanwhile, watched its season come to an end. They were shorthanded in that final loss.

Landon Hairston was suspended.

The slugger was called out on strikes during an at-bat vs. Nebraska. He flipped his bat in disgust, which led to an unsportsmanlike conduct ejection.

Not only was he forced to exit the game against the Cornhuskers early, but the ejection also triggered a one-game suspension.

Hairston is far from the first player to be suspended in the postseason. Virginia saw two players tossed for taunting in a win over Southern Miss. Georgia had its best hitter thrown out after a home run vs. Liberty. UCLA lost its NCAA Tournament opener with its leadoff man on the bench.

Hairston’s ejection has been the most notable, though. The Big 12 Player of the Year hit .400 as a sophomore with 28 home runs and 81 RBIs. He’s drawn Barry Bonds comparisons.

Hairston set an ASU single-season record for homers this year, besting the previous mark of 27. He also beat Bonds’ top total of 23 in Tempe.

Unfortunately, he did not get a chance to hit No. 29 in the Arizona State’s final baseball game. He was forced to sit on the bench. The Sun Devils’ season is now over. Hairston will return in 2027 for his junior year.