Pioneer Baptist Won’t Play Games Against Claremont

Norwalk Pioneer Baptist has refused to play three Express League baseball games against Huntington Beach Claremont, even if the forfeits result in missing the playoffs, Athletic Director Lee Fitzgerald said.

The action is in response to a shouting match this winter at a boys’ basketball game in which a Claremont player used profanity against a Pioneer Baptist pastor who is an assistant basketball coach. Fitzgerald also claimed that a Claremont walk-on assistant took part in the incident.

“We realize that by doing this [forfeiting the games] it has the potential to take us out of the playoffs, but I talked it over with the baseball coach and it is something we are willing to do,” Fitzgerald said.

Claremont Athletic Director Michael Smith said tension between the schools has risen the last few years, and he acknowledged that the basketball player was “out of line” and was suspended for the next game for using profanity. However, Smith said he felt the conduct of the pastor was unprofessional and that the Claremont assistant did nothing wrong.

“We had a league meeting and we basically disagreed on the incidents that happened,” Smith said. “We say one thing, they say another. If they don’t want to play us, the games will be counted as forfeits.”

Tuesday’s game at Claremont was canceled, as will be games at Pioneer next Tuesday and at Claremont next Thursday.