A Fox/AP report claims a Florida high school baseball coach was suspended after attempting to inspire his young charges through the slaughter of a defenseless snake.

Palm Harbor University High School second baseman Zach Sobel says Jeremy Albrecht told the team last week that they were “snake-bitten” and needed to stop their losing streak.

So, Sobel says, the team bought and killed a snake, then buried it on the field during the school’s spring break.

The coach wasn’t present.

The above report doesn’t mention if killing the snake was an effective means of ending the streak, but if the Yankees can’t beat Alfredo Simon today, Joe Girardi might want to consider it.