As 12-year-old New Jersey Little Leaguer Marco Rocco’s stunning ejection for bat flipping has turn out to be a nationwide storyline, his father, Joe, has tried to ease the ache.
“We’re sick to our stomachs over this,” Rocco informed the Cherry Hill Courier Put up on Tuesday after the Haddonfield 12-U staff’s observe. “My son is distraught. He stated, ‘I didn’t know I used to be breaking a rule, I see bat flips throughout TV through the Little League World Collection.’
“He doesn’t understand why he was ejected from the game. I told him, ‘Sometimes life isn’t fair, but I’ll go to bat for you.’”
Whereas the household tries to digest all of the fallout since Rocco’s ejection for bat flipping final week and the next one-game suspension for the state event, Wednesday might be a pivotal day concerning his availability for Haddonfield’s subsequent recreation.
A listening to is anticipated to occur Wednesday following Joe submitting an emergency restraining order in Gloucester County Court docket Chancery Division on Tuesday, he informed the outlet.
The hope is to overturn his suspension for the double-elimination event starting Thursday when Haddonfield faces Elmora.
The bracket options 4 groups and the winner advances to subsequent week’s Metro Area Event.
The controversial second got here final Wednesday when Marco hit a two-run homer towards Harrison Township to take an 8-0 lead within the sixth inning, as detailed by the outlet.
Marco flipped his bat whereas operating towards first base, as seen in a video posted to social media.
Rocco informed the Courier Put up the umpire first stated his son was out and the runs didn’t depend, however after a “call was made to Little League” the umpire counted the homer however stated Marco was ejected.
Joe informed NJ.com the umpires famous a “safety concern” and “Little League International” informed him that Marco violated a rule with the bat flip.
The Put up Courier reported that Little League doesn’t have any bat flipping guidelines, though it might be seen as unsportsmanlike conduct or horseplay and a participant could be ejected if deemed extreme.
“They wrote us a letter saying there’s a rule that says there’s no horseplay in Little League, and they consider bat flipping horse play,” Joe stated to Nj.com.
“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.”
The ejection comes with the one-game penalty, which might be Thursday’s contest.
Joe informed NJ.com that his household tried to barter with Little League Worldwide solely to be informed “they’re not willing to compromise in any way.”
“He’s played Little League his whole life, and his dream is to make it to the World Series in Williamsport,” Joe stated to the outlet. “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.”
