Coastal Carolina coach says CWS ejection was unwarranted and he was wrongly accused of bumping ump
Associated Press
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall, tossed from the game along with first base coach Matt Schilling in the first inning of the College World Series finals Sunday, said his ejection wasn't justified and he was wrongly accused of bumping an umpire.
Walker Mitchell was at bat with two outs and Sebastian Alexander had just stolen second base when Schnall went to the top steps of the dugout, gestured at plate umpire Angel Campos with three fingers and began shouting at him.
The NCAA said Schnall was arguing balls and strikes, was given a warning and thrown out when he did not leave immediately. Instead, Schnall went onto the field to continue arguing.
The Tigers won 5-3 for their second national championship in three years.
When Schnall was arguing with Campos, one of the base umpires ran toward the confrontation and fell on his back.
'If you guys watch the video, there was a guy who came in extremely aggressively, tripped over Campos' foot, embarrassed in front of 25,000, and goes 'two-game suspension' and says 'bumping the umpire,' Schnall said. 'There was no bump. I shouldn't be held accountable for a grown man's athleticism. Now it's excessive because I was trying to say I didn't bump him.
'It is what it is. If that warranted an ejection, there would be a lot of ejections. As umpires, it's your job to manage the game with some poise and calmness and a little bit of tolerance.'
A spokesman said the NCAA stands by its original statement on the incident when asked for comment on Schnall's remarks about bumping an umpire.
The NCAA in its initial statement on the incident said Schnall and Schilling engaged in 'prolonged arguing,' which is to result in a two-game suspension. Schnall would miss the first two games of the 2026 season.
Schilling was thrown out for the comments he made while arguing, the NCAA said. If an assistant is ejected, he automatically also is suspended for one game. Schilling also got an additional two-game suspension under the 'prolonged arguing' rule, the NCAA said. That means he will miss the first three games next year.
Associate head coach Chad Oxendine took over Schnall's duties.
Schnall said he couldn't hear Campos' initial warning when he was arguing balls and strikes from the dugout.
'As a head coach, it's your right to get an explanation for why we got warned,' Schnall said. 'I'm 48 years old and I shouldn't get shooed by another grown man. When I came out, I got told it was a warning issued for arguing balls and strikes, and I said it was because you missed three. At that point, ejected. If that warrants an ejection, I'm the first one to stand here like a man and apologize.'
That wasn't going to happen.
'I'm not sorry for what happened,' he said. 'I'm sorry for this being over. I'm sorry for how it ended.'
___
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
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