Dakota Freese, the star pitcher for the Cedar Rapids Washington baseball team, has been suspended for the first seven games of the 2011 season for a violation of school rules.

Paul James, the activities director at Washington, confirmed the suspension Tuesday afternoon.

Freese, a senior, is a 6-foot-4 righthander who made third team all-state last season as a utility player. He had a 6-3 pitching record and 2.69 ERA in 2010, with 91 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings. He also hit .301 with three homers and 17 RBIs.

Freese has been training with the Washington track team and will serve part of his suspension during the current track season. Otherwise, Freese would have faced a 13-game suspension from the baseball team (one-third of the regular season).

James said Freese had been working out with the track team, although not competing in meets, prior to the school violation.

According to the Washington schedule, barring postponements Freese would be eligible to start playing May 31 when the Warriors play Iowa City High.

Freese has committed to play college baseball at LSU-Eunice, a junior college in Louisiana. Perfect Game USA rates Freese as the third-best senior in Iowa for the 2011 major league draft in June. His fastball has been clocked at 92 mph.