Erik Bakich takes hilarious shot at umpiring crew from game vs. Florida in 2024 Super Regional

It’s been a long offseason ahead of the start of college baseball, one that has afforded teams with plenty of chances to get creative. Like Clemson and coach Erik Bakich hosting the Savannah Bananas for an exhibition game this fall.

The two squads squared off in a matchup that provided some juice to the offseason program in Clemson.

Speaking about the opportunity on the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast, Clemson coach Erik Bakich was presented with an interesting question. Which is more intense, a game of Banana Ball or a Super Regional matchup with Florida?

Bakich got a wry grin, then answered.

“It depends who’s the umpiring crew,” he said, to a roar of laughter from the show’s host, Daron Vaught.

Clemson, of course, will have felt robbed by a series of events that unfolded in the Super Regional that ultimately saw Florida advance to Omaha and the College World Series.

So what happened, exactly?

Bakich was tossed in the top of the 13th inning of a deciding game in the Super Regional, just moments after the Tigers had hit a go-ahead solo home run.

Officials warned right fielder Alden Mathes after he slammed his bat to the ground following the home run, and that led to Clemson coaches going to speak with the officials. As they did so, Jack Leggett was tossed from the game.

Incensed, Erik Bakich then started to go wild on both the officials and stirring up the crowd, which got him tossed.

It’s clear Bakich still isn’t fully over the incident. That probably shouldn’t come as a surprise, given he reiterated after the game he’d do it all over again.

“I love that (Doug Kinsmore Stadium) is our 10th man,” Erik Bakich said. “It feels like they’re on our team. And I’m always going to interact with our crowd.

“Sorry not sorry, going to keep doing that. So I guess I’m going to keep getting ejected, because that was the explanation I got, because I incited the crowd while coach was walking out, that’s why I got ejected. And then just the cavalier way of just ‘Yeah, you’re ejected.’ And the turn was almost antagonistic, I thought. But yeah, it is what it is. That’s unfortunate. It was that, but if you’re asking me would I incite the crowd again, hell yes.”

Florida would eventually walk the game off in the bottom half of the 13th inning, hitting a two-run RBI double to win 11-10, eliminating Clemson.

Clemson and Erik Bakich will now look forward to the start of a new season, opening play against Oklahoma State on Feb. 14 in Arlington, Texas, in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown. The team will also face Arizona and Ole Miss as part of the showcase event.