Matt Hill, the Stephens County High School catcher accused of intentionally letting a pitch hit an umpire last week, won't be playing baseball at Gordon College as a result.

Gordon baseball coach Travis McClanahan said today he spoke with Hill on Wednesday and withdrew an invitation for Hill to be walk on with the team next season.

"We just felt with the results of the game and what he was involved in, we just didn't support that kind of behavior for returning or incoming players," McClanahan said.

In the fourth inning of Saturday's game against Cartersville in the Class AAA championship series, Hill ducked and failed to catch a pitch from Cody Martin that struck the home plate umpire in the facemask. Stephens County was trailing 8-1 in a game it lost 13-1.

A video of the incident has been posted on many Web sites, including YouTube.

Stephens County principal David Friend, speaking for the Hill family, which has declined to be interviewed, said Hill and his parents were "disheartened" by McClanahan's decision.

Friend said he talked with McClanahan and Gordon College president Lawrence Weill in hopes of changing their minds.

"The incident is so totally out of character for this kid, but the penalty has taken away his chance to play baseball for the college of his choice," Friend said. "It bothers the family that this one pitch has taken on a life of itself and overshadowed other aspects of people's lives and that family unit. I don't think anyone ever imagined that this was going to get on MSNBC and have 82,000 hits on YouTube. I know that the family is very low-key, humble group of people, and it's been very hard on them."

Friend said Hill still might attend the Barnesville school, which will honor Hill's partial academic scholarship. Hill has a 3.5 GPA, Friend said.

According to Stephens County coach Mark Gosnell, Hill and Martin denied malicious intent and said the missed ball was the result of a mix-up in signals.

The Georgia High School Association fined Stephens County $1,000 and placed the baseball program on severe warning status Wednesday.

Hill has graduated and cannot be punished by the GHSA or Stephens County. Martin, a rising senior, was not disciplined.