Update: The NMAA has decided to issue a strike against the players and a strike against the fanbase.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Drama on a high school baseball diamond was all caught on camera Monday night, right after the umpire called the final strike between Volcano Vista and Los Lunas. 

At least one Volcano Vista player and coach went after that umpire. Teammates had to physically restrain that player. 

Now, the New Mexico Activities Association is deciding whether the Volcano Vista Hawks should face consequences. 

It all happened after the final call of the state tournament game, but officials with the New Mexico Activities Association say the bad behavior began much earlier. Three Volcano Vista players were tossed from the game in earlier innings. 

“In high school, we do not want to eject players because it’s a scholastic, it’s an extension of the classroom,” said John Quick, owner of 505 Baseball Assigning. 

Quick offers an umpire training program, and assigns them to games. He was watching that game Monday night.

“I just couldn’t believe it, that we actually have, you know, kids that act that way and the fans acting the way they acted after the game from the report I have seen,” Quick said.

While he couldn’t comment on the specifics of what happened Monday, he says officials are getting treated worse every year.

“I hate to say that it starts at home, but from my observation it’s a sense of entitlement, and there’s no fear by these kids of consequence for authority,” Quick said. 

But the Hawks might not walk away with just that season-ending loss. The NMAA is considering whether to issue a strike against the team. 

State law says “two strikes” and your entire season is canceled. It’s a rule that penalizes unsportsmanlike conduct by teams and fans.

“I urge tournaments and I urge scholastic leaders to take leadership and take charge of controlling this behavior,” Quick said.

Unfortunately, that behavior has reportedly led dozens of umpires to hang up their masks for good.

“The state of high school sports is in crisis mode. What I mean by crisis mode is we’re losing officials at a rapid pace,” Quick said.

The NMAA couldn’t tell us why the players were ejected from the game because it’s part of an investigation. 

They’re looking into behavior during and after the game from players, coaches, and fans. They say they should decide Wednesday if that team deserves a strike. If it does, it will go against their 2025 season. 

There are local media reports that Volcano Vista Baseball Head Coach Todd Flores is no longer with the team. 

We have reached out to both the Volcano Vista athletics director and APS officials to confirm, but they haven’t yet.