The umpires had the discretion to toss him on the spot and some onlookers at Joe Piper Field, since the home run gave Simpson quite a thrill. As he ran around third towards home, Catcher Ross Hall raised his arm in protest and then, after crossing home plate and embracing his teammate near the dugout, Simpson was soon called out for good.
It’s not clear why exactly Simpson was ejected from the game; perhaps it is because of the bat flip or that he took too long admiring his homerun. Still, many feel that something worth celebrating should not warrant an ejection from one’s own game. The Huskies ended up losing 8-6 to Santa Clara University as they now look forward to their next game in hopes of proving themselves as a real contender this season.
After crushing the ball, Simpson took his long hold of the bat and slowly walked towards first base. While the umpires may have been on a short leash due to this, it was actually Simpson’s celebration as he touched third base that pushed them over the edge. With an excited look towards his bench, Simpson executed a much more exaggerated and meaningful gesture – an underhand swipe across his jersey where he had proudly printed Washington in purple lettering. After further celebrating with his third base coach, he met up with cheering teammates at home plate and then carried his excitement into the dugout. It’s amazing what one seemingly small gesture can do!
With the ejection of first baseman Simpson, the Washington Huskies are in a difficult spot. It was already a rough weekend for the team, and now they must find another player to take Simpson’s place while he faces suspension due to NCAA rules – and all without their star first baseman during their four-game road trip beginning Thursday against San Jose State. This test will certainly provide an interesting challenge for the team – although they managed to come away with two wins over Santa Clara on President’s Day weekend, it remains to be seen how well they can handle Simpson’s absence on their upcoming journey.
