The Tennessee Volunteers baseball team faced elimination in a regional championship for the first time in five years. Typically, the regional round has been relatively easy for the Vols, especially when it comes to advancing to the super regional. After a heartbreaking 7-6 loss on Sunday night, Tennessee found itself in a win-or-go-home situation, with all hands on deck.
Tennessee got off to a slow start. Wake Forest struck first with a two-run home run, but the Vols managed to cut the lead in half during the third inning. Then came an explosive fourth inning, during which Tennessee put up seven runs.
“Down 2-1 in the fourth, Tennessee's offense flexed its muscles. Manny Marin hit his first home run since March 8, a two-run shot to center, and Andrew Fischer skied a two-run shot to right two batters later to give the Vols an 8-2 advantage,” wrote Knox News’ Mike Wilson and Nick Gray.
However, one of the biggest storylines late in the game was the ejection of catcher Cannon Peebles in the eighth inning after a strikeout.
“Peebles turned around and appeared to say something to Wake Forest catcher Matt Conte after an eighth-inning strikeout on June 2, which got him ejected by home-plate umpire Casey Moser,” Wilson reported.
The ejection was puzzling, as it didn’t seem like Peebles said much of anything. Vols247 writer Wes Rucker offered insight into why Peebles was tossed.
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“NCAA allowed me exactly one question (through text) to home plate umpire Casey Moser. Q: ‘In a big game with lots of chirping from both teams, what did Cannon Peebles do that was different enough to merit an ejection?’ A: ‘Unsportsmanlike behavior toward the opposing catcher,’” Rucker wrote.
Peebles went down swinging and chirped—a behavior that had been common throughout the game. However, whatever he said was just enough to draw the umpire’s attention. The ejection is costly, as Peebles will now miss Game 1 of the super regional against Arkansas. Moser's decision to eject him stands as one of the softest calls of this postseason.