KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Following Saturday's ejections in game two against Alabama, Tennessee baseball head coach Tony Vitello received a four-game suspension from the NCAA.
Assistant coach Frank Anderson received a one-game suspension and will not coach in Sunday's game three.
Vitello and Anderson were ejected during the top of the first inning on Saturday. Vitello shoved the third base umpire which is what resulted in the lengthy suspension.
According to the 2021/2022 NCAA Baseball Rule Book, any threat of physical intimidation or harm to an umpire or official includes pushing, shoving, contact, kicking dirt on an umpire, spitting, spraying, throwing at, or attempting to make physical contact, the penalties are as follows:
- For the first offense by an individual, ejection plus suspension from the team’s next four contests.
- For a second offense by an individual in the same season, ejection plus suspension from the team’s next five contests.
- For a third offense by an individual in the same season, ejection and suspension for the remainder of the season, including postseason competition.
RELATED: Tony Vitello, Frank Anderson ejected during Tennessee's second game against Alabama, Vols win 9-2
Hitting coach Josh Elander will serve as acting head coach while Vitello is suspended.
Tennessee's pitching coach, Anderson, received an automatic one-game suspension after his ejection Saturday.
This is Vitello's second suspension in his five seasons as Tennessee head coach. He received a two-game suspension in 2018 during the Vols' series against Kentucky. He held a lemonade stand pregame for fans during the game he was suspended.
The Vols' first pitch against Alabama in game three is Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
The winner takes the series in the rubber match.
