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Coastal Carolina head baseball coach Kevin Schnall called out Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan during a news conference after Schnall’s team advanced to the super regional round of the NCAA baseball tournament.
Schnall, whose squad beat East Carolina, 1-0, didn’t like what transpired in a reported altercation at the Chanticleers’ baseball complex.
O’Sullivan reportedly “ripped into” tournament staff over a schedule change, and Schnall responded by calling him a “bully” in front of reporters.
“What transpired this morning on our field, another coach disrespected our associate AD, who works as hard as anybody in our entire program. He disrespected our field crew, who are the salt of the earth,” Schnall said. “These guys would do anything for our program. It’s not OK, and this needs to be brought up.”
O’Sullivan was reportedly furious the Gators’ matchup against ECU was moved from noon to 1 p.m. Sunday, leading to his outburst with Coastal Carolina staff. Video of the altercation began circulating on social media.
NCAA BASEBALL TOURNAMENT DESCENDS INTO MAYHEM AS PLAYERS, COACHES, PARENTS EJECTED
The Gators ended up losing to the Pirates, 11-4, and O’Sullivan initially declined to comment about the confrontation with Coastal Carolina staff, saying he “handled it properly, you know, at the end of the game.”
On Monday, O’Sullivan and Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin released statements on the matter.
“Prior to yesterday’s NCAA Tournament game against East Carolina, I let my emotions get the best of me and channeled that energy in a way I should not have,” O’Sullivan said in his statement. “I want to sincerely apologize for my actions and behavior to the entire NCAA Regional field of Coastal Carolina, East Carolina and Fairfield, the NCAA — including site representatives Rick French and Mark Scalf — as well as all of Gator Nation.
“I did not represent the University of Florida to the appropriate standard yesterday and take full responsibility for that.”
Stricklin added, “This afternoon, I met with Kevin O’Sullivan and told him that his actions prior to yesterday’s NCAA Tournament game fell well short of expectations of how Gators treat people. One of our department’s core values is respect, and Coach O’Sullivan’s unacceptable actions failed to demonstrate that.
“On behalf of Florida Athletics, I want to personally apologize to everyone impacted – including NCAA representatives, Coastal Carolina and their staff, East Carolina and their team – as well as to Gator Nation.”
Schnall continued by explaining his disappointment.
“This is a national champion coach who thinks he can come in here and try to bully people around,” Schnall said. “Disappointed. Disappointed somebody that a lot of coaches look up to, for him to act that way.”
With the victory over ECU, Coastal Carolina will be facing the fourth-seeded Auburn Tigers in the best-of-three super regional to determine who will be heading to the College World Series in Omaha.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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