Alonso senior pitcher Cody Beckman has been suspended three weeks by the Florida High School Athletic Association following his ejection from a game at the Saladino Tournament.
Beckman, a 6-foot-3 lefty, was removed from a game against Jefferson on March 12 after he protested a balk call, according to an officials’ report from the game.
Beckman reportedly cursed after the call, though the report indicates the expletive was not directed at the official. While being replaced, the report said, Beckman took the baseball and threw it out of the field and into the adjacent parking lot at Jefferson High.
Beckman will not be eligible to return until, at the earliest, Alonso’s April 2 game against District 8A-7 rival Plant. He will not be allowed “on the players’ bench, in the team box or on the field of play wearing any portion of a team uniform,” according to the FHSAA.
The incident was considered a Level 2 infraction, which carries up to a six-game suspension.
“If that’s what they gave him and everybody is treated the same way, then I don’t have a problem with it,” said Alonso coach Landy Faedo. “I have zero tolerance for what happened. I just know he’s a good kid.”
A North Carolina State signee, Beckman was the ace of the Ravens’ young pitching staff. He has allowed eight runs — four earned — on 16 hits in 16 1/3 innings on the mound this season, striking out 18 and walking 15. He’s 1-2 in five starts, with an ERA of 1.71 and an opponents’ batting average of .232.
The loss of Beckman could prove big for the Ravens, who are tied for first in 8A-7 with Durant and Newsome. Also in the hunt are Plant, which is only a game behind in the standings, and Bloomingdale, which won the Saladino Tournament on Friday.
Alonso plays at Newsome on Tuesday.
Joel Anderson can be reached at janderson@tampabay.com or on Twitter @jdhometeam.