HADDONFIELD, N.J. — A New Jersey Little Leaguer was cleared to play in his state championship game Thursday — not by an umpire or a league official, but by a judge.
Twelve-year-old Marco Rocco of Haddonfield was suspended from the first game of the state tournament after he was ejected for flipping his bat following a dramatic two-run homer in the final inning of a sectional title game on July 16.
The ejection was for “unsportsmanlike” conduct and “horseplay,” according to Marco’s family — a ruling they challenged in court just hours before the state tournament began.
Judge Robert Malestein issued an emergency temporary restraining order Thursday, allowing Marco to return to the lineup for the championship opener.
“Just happy my son got to play baseball,” said Joe Rocco, Marco’s father, after a legal battle that he described as “stressful.”
The bat flip — which came after a sixth-inning home run — sparked debate online, especially given that the league itself has previously highlighted bat flips in promotional reels. Critics of the suspension argued that the punishment was excessive for a 12-year-old participating in a youth baseball celebration.
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Marco was cheered on by chants of “Marco! Marco!” from teammates as he stepped into the batter’s box Thursday night, hours after the judge’s decision.