A call strike three in fifth inning when Bryce Harper struck out looking, then was ejected by home plate umpire Don Gilmore may very well have put an end to his college career.Harper did not say a thing but was tossed after drawing a line in the dirt with his bat in the opposite batter’s box and walking to the dugout and that is when Gilmore made an emphatic ejection signal.
The 0-2 pitch from San Jacinto’s Chris McKenzie appeared outside, and replays showed the ball was at least 6 inches off the plate.
The #2 ranked College of Southern Nevada lost to #1 ranked San Jacinto (Texas) 10-8 and sent them into the losers bracket.
The ejection was Harper’s second this season. He was ejected from a March 13 game at Western Nevada for bowing after making a throw from right field, Harper must sit two games because of the sportsmanship code, and the possibility exists that his college career has ended.
Harper’s coach, Tim Chambers, said “On a stage like this in this environment, was (Harper) wrong to do it? Absolutely, but in a situation like this, I’m sure it deserves a warning,” Chambers said. “It was an awful quick trigger. He walked back to the dugout with his head down and bang (he was ejected). In my opinion, it’s a terrible call.If it’s a regular-season game and you want to make an example out of a guy, go for it, but not in front of 15,000 people in the JUCO World Series.”
Harper is expected to be the top pick of the major league draft Monday. CSN, 3-1 in the World Series, must win either two or three consecutive games to claim the title.
The 10-team, double-elimination tournament is down to a final four. CSN (52-15) plays Iowa Western at 5 p.m. today. San Jacinto plays Hutchinson (Kan.), which has one loss, at 9:30p.m.
You can see and hear all the action via broadband at http://www.jucogj.org/
*Here is the pitch in question – you make the call!
