The fans jumped in and reacted quickly after an umpire ejected the Georgia Bulldogs’ Tre Phelps for “taunting” his opponents after he earned a sixth-inning homer on Sunday.
The Bulldogs met the Liberty Flames in the NCAA Athens Regional final on Sunday, with only one small controversy when Phelps was tossed from the game. The Bulldogs’ third baseman was both ejected and suspended when he hit a go-ahead home run, then made signals and gestures toward the first-base line. It so happened that his gestures were also directed toward the vicinity of the Flames’ dugout, and the umpire ruled that Phelps was “taunting” his opponents, College Sports Network reported.
There is no doubt he was “celebrating.” But Phelps said he was celebrating his home run and merely gesturing to his family, who were in the stands watching the game. His coach, Wes Johnson, immediately protested Phelps’ ejection, only to be injected himself.
Phelps was clearly jazzed over his homer and was making hand gestures throughout his run around the bases.
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Phelps will now sit out the coming Athens super regional thanks to his one-game suspension. Still, he lashed out on Instagram, explaining that he was ejected for “acknowledging family.”
Some fans were quick to chime in and scold Phelps for gross celebrating:
Another explained why players never used to do showy celebrating and taunting in the past:
Still, other fans were on Phelps’ side and insisted that players should be allowed to celebrate their successes.
Others blamed the umpire:
This is the second time since 2023 that the Georgia Bulldogs made the super-regional and they will next face the winner of the game between the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
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