FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas right fielder Heston Kjerstad will miss today’s series finale against Mississippi State after he was ejected for arguing a called third strike in Friday night’s game.
Kjerstad was ejected in the seventh inning by home plate umpire John Brammer when he objected to a called strike on a 1-2 pitch from Cole Gordon that appeared to be low and outside the strike zone.
"He’s pretty mild-mannered, so I guess he felt pretty strongly about the call," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said after the game.
"The problem with the call is that the call was really late. It was almost ridiculously late. If it’s all in the same rhythm and the way he’s been calling it the whole game - not a problem....But the way that was, it was almost like he had to talk himself into making that call, and that’s not the way you umpire."
Brammer gave Van Horn a long leash to argue the call after Kjerstad was ejected. The Razorbacks followed with five runs with two outs in the inning.
"It definitely got our attention because that was a big at-bat in the game," Van Horn said. "...I feel bad for Heston because he hit into a double play with the bases loaded earlier in the game. He wanted to have a fair shake at driving in a run there and kind of make up for not driving in a run earlier in the game, and he didn’t get that opportunity."
An SEC spokesman confirmed Kjerstad must sit out today’s game.
Kjerstad is batting .317 with 9 home runs and 31 RBI. After Kjerstad was ejected, he was replaced in right field by Curtis Washington Jr.