Bakich says he is 'sorry, not sorry' about ejection from Clemson's super regional loss (2024)

CLEMSON— Erik Bakich said he feels some disappointment that his 13th-inning ejection might have drawn attention away from an instant classic of a college baseball game between Clemson and Florida.

But as the Tigers' coach met with the media for the first time since he was tossed from Doug Kingsmore Stadium on June 9, Bakich had few regrets about his actions. Especially since his crime was waving his arms and "inciting" the crowd during an argument with umpires about a player's bat spike.

"I am always going to interact with our crowd. Sorry, not sorry," Bakich said. "So I guess I'm going to keep getting ejected."

Bakich, ever-enthusiastic, was ready to deal with whatever consequences might come as he offered his unvarnished perspective on what transpired between himself, director of program development Jack Leggettand the umpiring crew in Clemson's final game of the season.

It was a confusing situation because outfielder Alden Mathes — who was under scrutiny for a potential unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for a bat spike after his go-ahead homer in the 13th frame — was not ejected but both Leggett and Bakich were thrown out for arguing on Mathes' behalf.

"You could tell it was not about anything other than the decision (about) whether they were going to eject Alden," Bakich said of the umps' initial huddle, "so I immediately run out there, and they shoo me away. I'm just basically saying, he did that (spiked his bat) at our dugout.

"Walk back, our dugout, very animated. Coach Leggett, all the staff, everyone is saying the same thing."

Bakich said the Clemson dugout was upset because similar bat spikes by Florida's players, particularly Jac Caglianone after a homer off Tristan Smith, did not result in unsportsmanlike penalties.

And Clemson had just taken a 10-9 lead on Mathes' solo homer. It was a big moment in the game.

"At one point, the one umpire, Billy (Van Raaphorst), looked at Coach Leggett, as Coach Leggett was, you know, animated and saying what he's saying," Bakich said, "and he just tossed him."

Bakich admitted he gave Leggett, the former Clemson head coach, a "low five" as Leggett came out of the dugout to confront the umps. As that was happening, Bakich turned to the crowd to fire them up.

When Bakich finally came back onto the field to receive an explanation of what penalties were being handed down, Van Raaphorst explained that Leggett was ejected and suspended.

"I said something like, 'You know what? That's ridiculous.' And (Van Raaphorst) said, 'He can't be yelling at the umpires like that, and he's suspended because he's not allowed to come out onto the field,'" Bakich said.

Leggett, as an off-the-field staffer, does not have on-field coaching privileges, even though he sits next to Bakich in the dugout. He is an important person to Bakich, though, because Leggett gave Bakich his first coaching job as a volunteer assistant at Clemson in 2002.

"I said, 'Are you really going to eject Jack Leggett?'" Bakich said. "And he said, 'Yes, we are. And also, because you incited the crowd, you're ejected, too,' and then walked away. Well, sorry, but the competitor in me is not going to just tuck tail and turn around and go."

Bakich said he wanted an explanation fromVan Raaphorst "face-to-face, man-to-man," but he couldn't get that.Van Raaphorst instead told Bakich to turn around or he was also going to be given a two-game suspension.

"I don't care," Bakich answered.

Van Raaphorst followed through with his threat of a two-game suspension, and that's when Bakich let loose.

"At that point, it was like, 'Screw it,' you know?" Bakich said. "I'm going to get my money's worth."

Bakich was disappointed the officiating crew didn't work to "diffuse" the situation, saying it felt like gasoline was "poured on the fire" andVan Raaphorst quickly walking away after leveling ejections felt "antagonistic."

"A lot of the really good officiators out there, they're able to separate their personality and their personal emotion from, you know, being able to just officiate," Bakich said."You know, I felt like there was some personality and personal emotion that got in there."

Bakich said Clemson will appeal the suspensions, going as far as tosend video of the incident to corroborate exactly what happened. But he isn't that optimistic that the suspensions will be overturned, which means Bakich and Leggett will probably have to sit out the first two games of 2025.

"But I deserve to get the two-game suspension based on staying out there and arguing prolonged. Like that's very black and white. I got a warning for two games, and I ignored it. And I would do that again too," Bakich said.

Bakich says he wants to "move on," but ejections are just becoming a sore point for Clemson.Star outfielder Cam Cannarella was ejected during an extra-inning loss to Tennessee during the NCAA Tournament in 2023. Earlier in the 13-inning contest with Florida, Clemson's Jack Crighton was ejected following a scuffle betweenCaglianone and Nolan Nawrocki.

Bakich also recalled being on the wrong end of an officiating decision at Michigan in his final postseason series against Louisville.

"It's just part of the game and it's part of what happens. It just sucks to always be on the wrong side of it," Bakich said. "We're not that bad that we need every call. We're not. But when you start hucking players ... I don't think that's what the good officials want, at least. So just, you know, just all-around unfortunate."

Meanwhile, Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivanasked for a substance check on Clemson closer Austin Gordon during the game because of a dark spot on the junior's hat, which also irked Bakich.

"That was dumb," Bakich said."It's dirt. He licks his fingers, he touches the dirt, he touches his hat. Austin Gordon doesn't use any sticky stuff and he doesn't need any. He's nasty."

Asked if the check on Gordon's hat was disappointing because O'Sullivan— a former Clemson assistant who worked with Bakich in 2002— is a longtime colleague in the profession, Bakich said, "a little bit."

When Bakich contemplated whether he'd ever "incite" the crowd at Doug Kingsmore Stadium again, Bakich had a simple reply.

"Hell yes," he said.