Owen Fogle was ejected from the high school baseball playoff game between St. George’s and The Webb School for what seemed like a fairly harmless bat flip. Per Tennessee rules, he will be suspended for the next two games— which could be the final two games of his career.
Did the umpire make the correct decision?
I think most fans would agree that this most recent high school baseball controversy was blown way out of proportion, but the rules are the rules. Even if the rules are in place to prevent egregious behavior, it was too crucial of a moment in a high-stakes matchup for the umpire to make that decision.
St. George’s dominated The Webb School in the Tennessee high school baseball playoffs.
St. George’s Independent School is a private co-ed school in Memphis, Tennessee. (Technically Collierville and Germantown.) Established in 1959, it enrolls approximately 1,100 students in Grades 9-12.
The Webb School is a private co-ed prep school in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Established in 1870, it is often referred to as the oldest continuously operating boarding school in the South with a total enrollment of less than 500 students.
Webb and St. George’s both play high school baseball on the Division-II Class A of TSSAA competition. The Gryphons finished the regular season at 28-7 as the No. 7-ranked team in Tennessee. The Feet finished at 28-13 as the No. 35-ranked team in the state. They met in the first round of the playoffs.
St. George’s ultimately defeated Webb by a final score of 18-7. The Gryphons scored 10 runs in the last three innings of the game. The Feet did not score a single run.
However, their season is not yet over because of the double elimination bracket. St. George’s advances to the next round of the winner’s bracket. It is now two wins away from a state championship. The Webb School drops down to the losers bracket. Every game from this point forward is do or die.
Was the bat flip deserving of an ejection?
St. George’s jumped out to an 8-0 lead over The Webb School in the first two innings. The Webb School got two runs back in the third inning and got within one with five runs in the fourth.
Senior outfielder Owen Fogle stepped up to the dish in the bottom of the fourth inning with the bases loaded, down 8-3. He mashed a monster grand slam to bring the score to 8-7.
‘26 OF Owen Fogle
— Prep Baseball Tennessee (@PrepBaseballTN) May 20, 2026
(@OwenFogle2026;@Webb__Baseball)
Fogle would go 3 for 3 at the plate collecting 4 RBIs on the is monster GRAND SLAM💥
The physical outfielder shows that he has the potential to put up big time numbers at the next level@MT_Baseball recruit #TNHS26 https://t.co/NIhfgDCBi4 pic.twitter.com/rnPLWsheJm
Unfortunately, Fogle was ejected from the game when he returned to the plate. The home plate umpire threw him out of the contest for flipping his bat toward the opposing dugout on his way to first base.
TSSAA Division II Class A First Round
— Brady O’Neal (@Oneal3B) May 20, 2026
This bat flip led to an ejection after a grand slam cut the lead to one.
Absolutely egregious ejection in that moment. TSSAA needs to do better.@TSSAA @TNBaseballReprt @tnballplayers pic.twitter.com/nVsz0mGD1y
Fogle (or whoever runs his social media accounts) posted the following response after the game:
“Did not mean to be disrespectful or taunt in any way. I just flipped my bat in the heat of the moment. Was not directed towards anybody.”
The bat flip ejection proved to be a crucial turning point in momentum. St. George’s did not allow another run over the next three innings.
And, per Tennessee high school baseball rules, an ejection also results in a two-game suspension. Fogle will miss The Webb School’s next game, which is an elimination game. Should the Feet win, Fogle will also miss their next game. He will only be eligible to return for the first game of the state championship— if they get there.