During a tense College World Series elimination game for Coastal Carolina, Angel Campos wasn’t swayed by the high stakes or the context.
In the first inning of Game 2 on Sunday, both Kevin Schnal and first-base coach Matt Schilling were ejected, leaving Coastal Carolina without coaches for the remaining eight innings as they fought to beat LSU and stay in the tournament.
Walker Mitchell stepped up to bat, while Sebastian Alexander stole second base during Mitchell’s at-bat. It was right then that Schnal seemed to start arguing with Campos.
Schnal then exited the dugout, making his feelings known as he walked onto the field, gesturing emphatically before Campos sent him packing.
Even after being ejected, Schnal continued to dispute the call with a nearby umpire. There were a couple of moments of chaos—one umpire appeared to stumble during the scuffle—but Schnal wasn’t backing down, still arguing with another official.
Both coaches ended up ejected, and they received suspensions of three and two games, respectively, which means they wouldn’t be available if a Game 3 became necessary.
Campos faced considerable backlash for his decision, with ESPN announcer Carl Labeck characterizing the ejection as “aggressive.” According to on3.com.
“Angel Campos is a recognized name in the officiating community, boasting major league experience,” Labeck remarked. “Yet, kicking out Schnal and Schilling so early in the game—especially in such a critical moment—raised eyebrows. Schnal seemed to feel that losing his first-base coach was a significant blow.”
Coastal Carolina did manage to score first, with Dean Mihos hitting a home run in the second inning. However, LSU quickly answered back, scoring five consecutive runs and gaining the upper hand as they approached their second national championship in three years.
Previously, LSU had secured a narrow 1-0 victory in Game 1 on Saturday, with Cadenson delivering a strong three-hit shutout.
