Three Central Arkansas baseball players and an assistant coach and four UALR players received suspensions Thursday for their involvement in a bench-clearing brawl during a game Wednesday night at Bear Stadium in Conway.
UCA's suspensions included four games for junior infielder Nate Ferrell and sophomore catcher Brandon Montalvo, four games for assistant coach Trent Kline and eight games for sophomore infielder Matt Anderson, according to a news release from UCA.
The UCA release said three UALR players also drew four-game suspensions and another drew an eight-game suspension, but it did not name the suspended UALR players. UALR has not released any information regarding any suspensions.
With one out and the game tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 10th, UALR's Tanner Rockwell hit UCA freshman Carson Dowdle with a pitch. It was the fourth time a UCA batter was hit by a pitch in the game, and the second time Dowdle was plunked.
Sophomore Lee Raley pinch-ran for Dowdle. Raley stole second base but was called back to first base after it appeared that Montalvo's swing interfered with UALR catcher Drew Merten.
Shortly after Raley returned to first base, UALR Coach Scott Norwood and UCA Coach Allen Gum began to argue near home plate. Video showed several players and coaches from both teams involved in the incident, as well as UCA personnel who tried to intervene.
Norwood, Gum and UALR pitcher Chad Bradford, who did not pitch Wednesday, were all ejected.
"It is an embarrassment to the university," Norwood told media Thursday afternoon at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock, shortly before UCA sent out its news release regarding the suspensions. "This type of behavior sets a bad example for student-athletes and fans, and I regret that this happened."
UCA hosts Southeastern Louisiana today in Conway, and UALR faces Georgia State today at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock.
The Trojans are scheduled to host the Bears on April 23 in Little Rock.
Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more on this story.