Clemson's Erik Bakich says Cam Cannarella ejection came from saying something 'directed towards' Tennessee after warning

Clemson was pipped by Tennessee, 6-5, in 14 innings on Saturday in the winners bracket of the Clemson Regional. And it’s a safe bet Clemson fans — or coach Erik Bakich — will be forgetting the suspect ejection of freshman center field Cam Cannarella in the middle of the 13th inning.

While running in to the dugout after Clemson ended the inning defensively, Cannarella was ejected for apparently saying something to a Tennessee baserunner. Bakich offered some more context after the game, saying a warning had been issued earlier.

“Something he said was directed towards the other team,” Bakich said.

Because of the ejection, Cannarella will be suspended for one game; Clemson faces Charlotte in an elimination game on Sunday morning in the regional.

Clemson lost Cannarella for an infraction small enough that the broadcast originally missed it

After Clemson turned a 4-6-3 double play to end a scoring threat in the top of the 13th inning and get to the plate with a chance to win the game in the bottom of the second, Cannarella appeared to say something to Zane Denton, the baserunner put out at second, as Cannarella ran to the dugout. The umps apparently ejected him for this.

When the broadcast came back for the bottom of the 13th inning, Clemson head coach Erik Bakich was seen in an animated discussion with the umpires. It wasn’t until Cannarella wasn’t up to bat in his lineup spot that the broadcasters figured out it was Cannarella who had been ejected.

Then, when the broadcast returned for the top of the 14th inning, the ESPN broadcast showed the infraction from Cannarella.

This may be the most pathetic ejection I’ve ever seen, like I still don’t understand what happened. pic.twitter.com/Bte9fA13aL

— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthewCFB) June 4, 2023

Color commentator Kyle Peterson took umbrage with the decision from crew chief and second base umpire Angel Campos.

“You cannot do that, not for that. I mean these kids have played 13 innings. Again, like you want to take emotion totally out of this game, that’s how you’re going to do it. If they’re going back and forth a little bit, they’re both going their own way, then so be it. But there’s zero, zero way that you can throw a kid out for doing that,” Peterson said. “Either one of them, and I don’t know what was said.”