Shake up in the Bay baseball standings

Monday, during the postseason PAL coaches meeting, the Bay Division standings were updated. It was ruled that Carlmont and Menlo tied for the championship.

“At tonight’s baseball coaches meeting, I reversed my decision on the Menlo School-Burlingame protest,” PAL commissioner Terry Stogner said in an email to the Daily Journal. “CCS rules clearly state that any violation of the pitch count results in a forfeit.”

Stogner said Burlingame brought in a relief pitcher in the sixth inning, who, because of his previous pitch count Wednesday, had to, by rule, rest for two days. He threw one pitch, the Menlo coaching staff protested the game and the pitcher was replaced.

Burlingame manager Shawn Scott said Stogner initially ruled against the protest.

“The initial ruling was there was only one pitch thrown and had no effect on the game,” Scott said.

But Stogner said he reversed the decision Monday and Burlingame was forced to forfeit the win.

“I was not aware of the forfeit mandate and denied the protest,” Stogner said in a second email. “I am now aware and the CCS pitch count rules will be a part of our league bylaws.”

With the change, both Carlmont and Menlo finished Bay Division play with 10-4 records. It is the third time since 2014 that two teams have shared the Bay Division crown. Carlmont and Terra Nova both tied for the title in 2014 and again in 2016.

The loss drops Burlingame into a tie for third place with King’s Academy with an 8-6 mark.

The ruling had no impact on the PAL teams that qualified for the Central Coast Section tournaments.