[PHSForever]

The Ryle baseball team will have to make it to the Ninth Region tournament for baseball coach Pat Roesel to return to the bench.

That's because Roesel won't be able to coach in the 33rd District tournament after being ejected from Saturday's regular-season finale against Beechwood. An ejection results in a minimum two-game suspension per Kentucky High School Athletic Association rules.

Roesel was ejected on the first pitch of the bottom of the first when he thought leadoff batter Conner Hempel had been hit on the foot.

Roesel wouldn't comment on the specifics of the ejection, but did say it's not a guarantee if the Raiders earn a berth in the regional tournament that he will be able to coach.

"It's a two-game minimum so anything's possible," he said.

Ryle athletic director Jim Demler, who also coaches the junior varsity baseball team, said he will likely be in charge of the team with several varsity assistants splitting responsibilities. Demler said they were planning to meet Monday night to discuss who would handle what.

Ryle (22-9), which finished No. 1 in the final Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches poll, plays No. 8 Conner (18-9) in a district semifinal game at 5:30 p.m. today at Ryle.

The winner advances to the district championship game and the regional tournament.

Without having been there, you hate to see an ump toss a coach in this kind of situation, especially with playoffs looming. But I wasn't there, so I have no idea how (if) overboard the coach might have gone. Sometimes coaches need to bite their tongues, especially in the first inning of a game. Goodness.