USC Coach, 2 Players Suspended Over Fight

The Pacific 10 Conference suspended USC baseball Coach Mike Gillespie, Arizona State pitching coach Bob Welch and five players for their roles in a fight at the end of last Sunday’s game between the two schools at USC’s Dedeaux Field.

USC backup catcher Mike DePippo and pitcher Brian Ponchak were suspended for three games, as were Arizona State’s Mikel Moreno, Ryan Bradley and Kaipo Spenser. Gillespie and Welch have been suspended for the USC-Arizona State series April 26-28 in Tempe, Ariz.

“We’re disappointed with the conference’s ruling on Mike Gillespie,” USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett said in a statement. “We’re looking into an appeal.”

The fight occurred at the end of USC’s 4-3 victory, when Trojan players on the field to congratulate pitcher Jack Krawczyk were joined by Arizona State players and a five-minute brawl ensued.

Gillespie claimed that Welch grabbed him as the USC coach was pulling a Sun Devil player off a pile of players. Arizona State Coach Pat Murphy said Welch became involved when he heard the words, “Have a drink, you’re a drunk.” Gillespie denied the remarks.

“There were things said and that was part of the case, but the coaches were suspended because they themselves participated in a fight,” said Jim Muldoon, associate commissioner of the conference.

NCAA rules call for an automatic one-game suspension for fighting at the conclusion of a game, or a three-game suspension if it is determined the individual left his position to participate in the fight.

DePippo and Ponchak will miss this weekend’s three-game series against UCLA. The suspended Sun Devils will miss an upcoming series with Arizona.

Both teams and coaching staffs have been put on probation for the rest of the season.

The last time the Pac-10 suspended a baseball coach for participating in a fight was 1990 when Gillespie and former Arizona State Coach Jim Brock served one-game penalties after their teams brawled during the sixth inning of a game in Tempe.

Eight players were also reprimanded for that incident.