Cedar Rapids Prairie softball coach Joe Yegge has been suspended for four playing dates by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union following his ejection from Thursday night's doubleheader at Xavier.

The IGHSAU made its ruling Friday after receiving reports from school officials and the umpires who worked Thursday's games.

This was the second time Yegge has been ejected from a game this season and the second time he has been suspended by the IGHSAU, according to the governing body's established rules and procedures.

It's extremely rare for a high school softball coach to be ejected twice in one season in Iowa.

"We have not had anyone ejected more than once in a number of years. It's been at least six years," said Joel Oswald, an assistant director at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union who oversees softball.

There are typically a total of 7 to 10 softball ejections per season, according to Oswald, with 3 to 5 of those ejections involving a coach.

"To have a coach ejected twice in a season, it is rare," he said.

Oswald said he talked to Yegge on the telephone Friday morning, but declined to reveal what they discussed. Oswald also spoke with Prairie athletic director Rocky Bennett about the incident.

Yegge must take an on-line class entitled "Teaching and Modeling Behavior" before he will be reinstated by the IGHSAU. It is the same class Yegge had to take following his first suspension and costs $20.

Yegge was ejected from a game when Prairie played in the Iowa City West tournament on June 1. He was suspended for one playing date following that incident.

Yegge will not be allowed to coach Prairie in another game until at least Thursday, June 27 when the Hawks are scheduled for a doubleheader at Waterloo West.

As it stands now, Yegge will miss the following four dates:

• Friday, June 21 - at Clear Creek Amana tournament
• Saturday, June 22 - at Clear Creek Amana tournament
• Tuesday, June 25 - vs Linn-Mar (at Prairie)
• Wednesday, June 26 - vs Marion (at Prairie)

Prairie is scheduled to play four games in the Clear Creek Amana tournament. The Hawks were beaten by Clear Creek Amana, 5-1, and DeWitt Central, 11-7, Friday.

Tuesday's date with Linn-Mar is a doubleheader and Wednesday's date with Marion is a single game, so Yegge stands to miss seven games at this point.

Bennett could not be reached for comment. Yegge declined comment.