Texas Longhorns Coach David Pierce Suspended for Two Games
David Pierce will miss Texas’ next two games following his outburst after being ejected on Sunday.
In the series finale on Sunday, the Texas Longhorns and TCU Horned Frogs got a little heated at the end of the seventh inning. Well, they grew heated between coach David Pierce and the umpires who were calling the game.
With a 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the seventh, Peyton Powell drew a two-out walk, putting runners on the corners for the Longhorns. Max Belyeu came to the plate, looking to keep the line rolling and plate at least one critical insurance run. Which he seemed to do.
After Belyeu seemed to hit one into right field for a crucial two-out RBI single, the umpires conferred and determined that the ball struck Powell, rendering it a dead ball. Belyeu singled, but no runs were scored, therefore the inning ended with Texas still leading 2-1.
That call irritated Pierce, who expressed his disgust to the umpires, prompting his dismissal. He didn’t stop there, though; he continued to give the crew a piece of his mind even after being taken from the game. Ultimately, the call was likely right, but Pierce was upset by the absence of a review of the play.
As a result of his… persistence, the Big 12 confirmed on Monday evening that Pierce will be suspended for the next two games per the NCAA rulebook, which states – “No team personnel may continue to argue or to excessively express themselves with prolonged actions or offensive language following an ejection.”
Texas will play two games this week: a midweek game against the UT Arlington Mavericks on Tuesday night and the series opening of a critical conference series against the Big 12-leading Oklahoma Sooners on Friday night.
It remains to be seen whether the suspension will impact the Longhorns, but it is critical that they do not lose sight of the broader picture as the season nears its conclusion and a conference title is still in play
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