Jamie Plunkett
Frogs Today staff writer
TCU coach Kirk Saarloos has been suspended for two games following his ejection in the eighth inning of TCU’s 5-3 loss to Texas on Thursday evening.
Per NCAA rule 2-26-h, head coach Kirk Saarloos will serve a two game suspension starting with today’s game. Associate Head Coach Bill Mosiello will serve as acting head coach in those contests.
— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) May 27, 2022
That section of the ejection rule states: “No team personnel may continue to argue or to continue to excessively express themselves with prolonged actions or offensive language after an ejection.”
So, Saarloos was suspended for failing to leave the field in a timely manner. The situation was already rife with controversy, because Saarloos exited the dugout to intentionally walk Ivan Melendez following a balk that opened first base. Home-plate umpire Casey Moser misinterpreted Saarloos’ motion, ejecting him from the game.
Saarloos spent an extended amount of time arguing on the field following the ejection, being held back by multiple umpires and associate head coach Bill Mosiello. After the game, Saarloos confirmed that he was attempting to walk Melendez.
“I think I should have been ejected if I let Ivan Melendez hit with a base open,” Saarloos said. “It was a miscommunication, in terms of I was motioning, ‘Hey, let’s put him on first base.’ That’s what I was doing. I was not going to pitch to Ivan Melendez with a base open.”
Saarloos’ suspension carries over to the NCAA Tournament, should TCU be eliminated from the Big 12 tournament this afternoon. The Frogs take on Oklahoma State in the loser’s bracket at 3:15 p.m.
Bill Mosiello will assume coaching duties in his absence.
