LINCOLN, NE — Arizona State will be without one of the best players in college baseball for its NCAA Tournament regional final game against Ole Miss baseball.
The No. 2 region seed Rebels (38-20) face No. 3 Arizona State (39-20) on May 31 (7 p.m., ESPNU) in the NCAA Tournament Lincoln Regional final.
Sophomore ASU infielder Landon Hairston has been suspended for the game. He was ejected in ASU’s 11-8 elimination game win over host Nebraska on May 31 after he flung his bat into the air after striking out on a called third strike.
According to NCAA rules, a player who is ejected also misses the team’s next game.
Hairston was named the Big 12 Player of the Year. He has a .405 batting average with 28 home runs. He would be eligible to return on June 1 if the Sun Devils can win to force a winner-take-all game.
Hairston could be a fourth-generation Major League Baseball player, joining his father Scott, grandfather Jerry and great grandfather Sam.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Why Landon Hairston is suspended for Arizona State vs Ole Miss baseball