[btaber]

First time on this board so please forgive me if I am not following protocols.

Last night I was coaching a Babe-Ruth prep league game (13 - yr olds) and in the last inning of a tight game the opposing team starting engaging in verbal distractions from the dugout as our pitcher was releasing the ball. They would chant progressively louder while he was in his windup and go silent just as the pitcher releases. They did this for every pitch of the inning. There was not one cheer for their batter, just verbal distraction for our pitcher. I must say is was unnerving. I don't know how our pitcher persevered but he was able to pitch through it for the win. I do not allow any of that from my players and was wondering if there was any ruling on this. I looked through the official Babe Ruth rule book and was unable to find anything.

BTW, in LL, I have seen umpires warn a team not to scream as the pitcher is releasing the ball. Same sort of thing, but maybe it was the umpire's discretion to do that.