University of Maine slugger Jon Hambelton, the wire-to-wire conference batting leader this season and an All-America East first-team selection at first base, will be unavailable to the Black Bears for the first two games of the America East Championship that begins today in Wilmington, Del.

Hambelton, a senior from Westwood, Mass., must sit out two more games as part of an NCAA-mandated, three-game suspension for being the “third man in” during an on-field altercation. He was ejected for his participation in the benches-clearing melee that occurred in the second game of last Saturday night’s doubleheader against Northeastern at Mahaney Diamond in Orono.

Hambelton missed Sunday’s game, serving what UMaine officials were told was a one-game suspension after being ejected for fighting. In reviewing the incident with the NCAA, America East officials learned about the mandatory three-game suspension for such infractions.

Hambelton, who leads the conference with a .429 batting average and has posted 13 home runs and 50 RBIs, was ejected Saturday night by home plate umpire Rob Robinson. Hambelton got involved in the fray after an inning-ending collision and subsequent shoving match at home plate between NU baserunner Ben Beck and UMaine catcher Joe Drapeau.

Hambelton ran in from first base and knocked down Beck, which intensified the benches-clearing melee that ensued.

“The rule is clear and it’s in place so that if you do have a situation like the one between Drapeau and Beck, it doesn’t go any further,” said America East spokesman Matt Bourque. He explained that any player other than Drapeau or Beck ejected for joining the fighting would have faced the same consequences. In this case, Hambelton was the only player thrown out for fighting.

Kostacopoulos, who was informed about the ruling late Tuesday night, tried to put Hambelton’s involvement in the incident into perspective.

“It’s one of those unfortunate things that happened in the heat of the moment,” Kostacopoulos said Wednesday afternoon. “I’m not condoning it and I’m not happy about it. He made a human mistake, let some of his emotions get the best of him.

“The rule’s the rule and that’s sometimes how it ends,” he said.

Hambelton will become eligible in UMaine’s third game of the tournament, provided the Bears aren’t eliminated in two games.