GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Chris Coskey became more of the action Saturday night than he probably wanted in Georgia Tech’s NCAA regional game against Florida. The second-base umpire tossed Tech coach Danny Hall in the fifth inning, two innings after he ejected a Florida student assistant coach.
Hall was ejected arguing a play at second base in which shortstop Mott Hyde made a sharp play on a hard-hit grounder, but threw high on a force play to second baseman Thomas Smith, leaving Nelson Fontana safe. However, Fontana stepped off the base, apparently thinking he was out. However, time had been called, rendering any attempt to tag Fontana out futile.
Hall came out to argue the timeout call with Coskey. As he walked back to the dugout, Coskey gave Hall the heave, leading Hall to pursue the matter further. It was his second ejection of the season.
“The umpire told me ‘timeout’ was called because both the runner and Thomas Smith were banged up on the play," Hall said. "Their player thought he was out and was leaving the base when time was called. I felt he [the umpire] bailed the runner out by calling time, and I told him he should not have done that.”
Following the game, NCAA assistant game representative Dick Runchey said that Hall was thrown out for "personal, verbal abuse."
Coskey threw out Florida student assistant coach Buddy Monroe in the Tech half of the third inning. Jake Davies struck out swinging for the third out of the inning, but he appealed, saying he had tipped the ball and that it had been dropped.
The Jackets took the field as the umpires discussed the call, and then were waved back after it was determined Davies had indeed fouled it off. As Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan argued the call in front of the Gators’ dugout, Coskey threw out Monroe, who was evidently arguing from the dugout.
Local goes vs. Jackets
Hudson Randall grew up going to Tech games with his father, a Tech grad. The Dunwoody High grad started for Florida against the Yellow Jackets on Saturday. He pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run, and left with a 4-1 lead.
Michael Randall earned an architecture degree from Tech and still holds football and basketball season tickets. However, O’Sullivan recruited and offered Hudson ahead of the pack, and won him over, his father said.
“We were interested in him, but he committed pretty early in the summer to Florida and told us that Florida was his dream school,” Hall said before the game. “Hard to overcome that.”
Hudson, a junior, has become the Gators’ ace and entered Saturday’s game with a 7-2 record and 2.91 ERA. He is ranked the No. 343 draft prospect by Baseball America magazine. His father said he is leaning toward going pro.
“He’s really liked it,” Michael said of his son’s experience in Gainesville. “It’s worked out, baseball-, school-wise.”
Tech in draft
At least five Tech players should be selected in the major league draft that begins Monday. Baseball America magazine ranks five Tech players in its top 500 — left fielder Brandon Thomas (No. 89), pitcher Luke Bard (No. 93), Farmer (No. 117), third baseman Sam Dove (No. 399) and center fielder Kyle Wren (No. 473).
Davies, who likely helped his candidacy with a torrid finish to his senior season, also figures to be picked. Typically, only juniors and seniors are eligible for the draft, but players who are at least 21 despite class standing also are eligible. Wren, the son of Braves general manager Frank Wren and a sophomore, turned 21 in April.
Before arriving in Gainesville, Hall said he might speak to his draft-eligible players to tell them not to worry about the draft, but decided against it.
“It doesn’t matter what I say to them, it’s going down,” Hall said. “We’ll just see what happens.”
Bard, who has been sidelined most of the season with a lat muscle strain, has begun throwing, but wouldn’t be available unless the Jackets reached the College World Series.
