Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle believes that a Georgia pitcher was cheating in the bullpen during their game last weekend.
Schlossnagle called out Georgia pitcher Christian Mracna in a text to The Associated Press on Tuesday, saying that he believes Mracna was putting a foreign substance on the ball in violation of the rules.
Mracna was seen on video appearing to work on his glove while crouched in the corner of the bullpen during the Bulldogs’ 5-4 win over the top-ranked Aggies on Saturday in College Station. Mracna was also seen reaching for something behind a post, and then he was seen in another video touching the thumb area of his glove with his right fingers between pitches while he was on the mound.
Mracna pitched the last two innings of the win and threw 23 strikes in his 30 pitches. He struck out six batters in a row to end the game and complete the save.
It’s unclear if Mracna was using a foreign substance, which would be a violation of NCAA rules and result in an ejection if he were caught in the moment. Umpires are allowed to check pitchers for foreign substances during major-league games, a practice that was implemented during the 2021 season. However, that isn’t done at the college level. And since the game is over, there’s nothing to be done.
Said Schlossnagle about Mracna using a foreign substance in a text to The Associated Press: “Certainly appears that way. It’s part of the game … wish we would’ve caught it.”
Both Georgia and the SEC declined to comment, and the Bulldogs did not make Mracna available for comment.
The appearance was Mracna’s 13th on the mound this season. He has made 10 starts for the Bulldogs and has 57 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched. The win pushed No. 17 Georgia to 31-12 on the season. The Bulldogs next take on Kennesaw State on Tuesday.
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