DENVER ? Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson announced today that the Fresno State baseball team has been reprimanded and that head coach Mike Batesole has received a two-game suspension as a result of an incident which occurred during a game against Indiana on March 12.
The incident occurred in the top of the eighth inning when players from both teams left their respective dugouts during an argument between Batesole and Indiana head coach Tracy Smith.
“This was a situation that could have gotten out of control,” said Benson, “and I expect our coaches and student-athletes to act according to NCAA rules and the WAC Sportsmanship Code.”
Said Batesole, “I respect the decision by Commissioner Benson and will serve the suspension. I felt that the umpires on the field, and subsequently the WAC office, handled this matter in an appropriate manner. Ultimately, it’s the responsibility of the head coach when it comes to the actions of his team. I think the situation could have been worse. It’s important to note that no punches were thrown and the disagreement was properly disbanded quickly. We do not condone players leaving the dugout and I am pleased that cooler heads prevailed and handled a potentially explosive situation very well.”
Coach Batesole will be suspended for Fresno State’s next two games, including March 18 at San Francisco and March 20 at Hawai?i.