Social media videos of Georgia pitcher Christian Mracna's activity in the bullpen and during a dominant performance on the mound in a weekend game at top-ranked Texas A&M have led Aggies coach, Jim Schlossnagle, to suspect that the pitcher was putting a foreign substance on the ball in violation. of the rules.
“It certainly seems that way,” Schlossnagle said in a text message to The Associated Press on Tuesday. “It's part of the game… I wish we had caught it.”
He declined to comment further.
Mracna, a graduate transfer from George Mason in his first season with the Bulldogs, pitched the final two innings of a 5-4 win in College Station, Texas, on Saturday. He allowed a single to the first batter he faced and struck out six in a row to end the game and earn his first save. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-hander threw 30 pitches, including 23 for strikes.
A 30-second video of Mracna in the bullpen, posted by Barstool Texas A&M, showed Mracna apparently working on his glove in the corner. He looked for something near or behind a post, but otherwise the view was practically blocked. Another video, taken from the SEC Network broadcast, showed Mracna touching the thumb area of his glove with his right fingers between pitches against Texas A&M.
Georgia declined to comment or make Mracna available. The Southeastern Conference declined to comment.
Under NCAA rules, players may not apply “foreign substances or moisture to the ball or the thrower's hand or fingers, or do anything that could damage the ball.” Using a foreign substance, usually something sticky that improves grip, can create higher spin speeds that increase ball movement. A violation results in expulsion.
Mracna has made 13 appearances, including 10 starts, and has struck out 57 in 36 innings.
