Ump Show: Grand Canyon OF Tyler Wilson Hit a Game-Tying Grand Slam and Got Ejected for Flipping His Bat

Congratulations to everyone in Phoenix who headed to the ballpark on a lovely Sunday afternoon thinking, "If I could just see someone hit an awesome home run and then have the home plate umpire make the game about himself, it will have been a great day." That's always what you buy a ticket hoping to see.

The kid you see in that clip launching a game-tying grand slam is Grand Canyon outfielder Tyler Wilson. He seems like a great ballplayer. And the guy you see promptly removing Wilson from the game for flipping his bat is Jason Rogers, an umpire who yearns for baseball to return to the good old days when players would hit a massive home run and then sprint around the bases with some decorum. Nobody will make baseball entertaining on Jason's watch.

I don't know if this is a point of emphasis in college baseball this year or if this particular umpire just wanted to make sure everyone saw him, but if it's the former, that's about as big of a mistake as could be made for the sport. College baseball has been growing in popularity over the last few years and it's things like bat flips after big homers that make it fun. I can't believe we're still doing the bat flip debate with some people in 2024.

GCU should put the result of this game under protest, because Nebraska scored the final two runs of the game to win 10-8 after Wilson's grand slam completed the Lopes' comeback from down 8-1. That ejection changed the course of the ballgame. Sad.

The flip was still awesome, though.