Bench-clearing brawl in JUCO tourney leads to double forfeit

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Bench-clearing brawl in JUCO tourney leads to double forfeit

May 14, 3:04 am EDT

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP)—A bench-clearing brawl in a junior college tournament Tuesday night ended with umpires ejecting every player and declaring a double forfeit that ended the season for both schools.

Weatherford College and New Mexico Junior College emptied its benches in the sixth when a skirmish at second base set off a mele with thrown punches and tangled players. The fray lasted a few minutes before the teams were pulled apart.

The schools were playing an elimination game in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region V Tournament. About a half-hour after the brawl ended, tournament officials told both teams they were disqualified.

“The fight came at a huge expense,†New Mexico JC coach Cory Hall told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Weatherford led 3-2 when the fight started. The tension appeared to start in the top of the sixth, when a grounder to first ended with Weatherford batter Brett Kazmierski colliding with first baseman Trevor Harden and knocking him down.

Players continued exchanging heated words into the bottom of the inning, leading to the brawl. No one appeared seriously hurt.

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