More
    HomeSport12-year-old banned from Little League tournament game over celebratory bat flip

    12-year-old banned from Little League tournament game over celebratory bat flip

    Published on

    spot_img


    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    A New Jersey Little League team’s chances of heading to Williamsport have taken a hit after one of their sluggers was suspended for a state tournament game due to a bat flip.

    Marco Rocco, a 12-year-old for Haddonfield Little League, launched a two-run home run last Wednesday against Harrison Township Little League and flipped his bat into the air.

    The homer made it an 8-0 game in the sixth inning, which wound up being the final score. With the victory, Haddonfield clinched the Section 4 title and moved on to the state championship.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM 

    Little League home run

    Twelve-year-old Marco Rocco is suspended from playing in a Little League tournament game for this bat flip. (Joe Rocco)

    However, as he crossed home plate, Rocco was ejected due to a “safety concern,” Rocco’s father, Joe, told NJ.com.

    “They wrote us a letter saying there’s a rule that says there’s no horseplay in Little League, and they consider bat flipping horseplay,” Joe Rocco said. “Little League International openly promotes bat flipping all over their social media accounts, their websites and the broadcasts on TV for the Little League World Series. It’s openly promoted and encouraged. 

    “My son watches that and was emulating what he sees.”

    A temporary restraining order was filed on Tuesday in the Gloucester County Chancery Division in hopes of letting Rocco play. But Little League International is “not willing to compromise in any way,” according to the father.

    Catcher pointing

    Harrison Little League’s catcher was not pleased with the celebration. (Joe Rocco)

    PHILLIES SECURE BIZARRE WALK-OFF WIN NOT SEEN IN MLB FOR OVER 50 YEARS

    “He’s played Little League his whole life, and his dream is to make it to the World Series in Williamsport,” Joe Rocco added. “We’re in the state finals and are a couple of steps away. We’re on our way there, and now, they tell him he can’t play.”

    Haddonfield and Harrison Township also played each other on both July 13 and 15, splitting the first two contests and making Wednesday a winner-take-all.

    Haddonfield begins the state tournament on Thursday against Elmora, which made it to the Little League World Series in 2019, in Deptford. The New Jersey tournament is a four-team, double-elimination format.

    Umpires

    Umpires met and ejected Rocco, which warrants a suspension. (Joe Rocco)

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    Ridgewood and Jackson-Holbrook Little Leagues make up the other teams to advance to the state final. They defeated Williamsport and Nottingham Little Leagues to win their respective sections. 

    The winner of the bracket will head to Bristol, Connecticut, for a chance to represent the Metro region at the Little League World Series.

    Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.





    Source link

    Latest articles

    ESPN’s Elle Duncan defends crude WNBA All-Star Game joke amid backlash

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! ESPN anchor Elle...

    Winona Ryder kept Christopher Walken’s chicken wishbone for a necklace

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Winona Ryder is...

    Hamas ‘Surprised’ by Witkoff Remarks, Says It Is Keen to Continue Cease-fire Talks – Israel News

    News Life and CultureColumnists and OpinionHaaretz Hebrew and TheMarkerPartnershipsHaaretz.com, the online English edition...

    Flash flooding prompts rescues in New Mexico mountain village

    RUIDOSO, N.M. -- Another afternoon of heavy rainfall Thursday prompted flash flooding in...

    More like this

    ESPN’s Elle Duncan defends crude WNBA All-Star Game joke amid backlash

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! ESPN anchor Elle...

    Winona Ryder kept Christopher Walken’s chicken wishbone for a necklace

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Winona Ryder is...

    Hamas ‘Surprised’ by Witkoff Remarks, Says It Is Keen to Continue Cease-fire Talks – Israel News

    News Life and CultureColumnists and OpinionHaaretz Hebrew and TheMarkerPartnershipsHaaretz.com, the online English edition...