BATAVIA – A 15-year-old baseball player at Batavia High School was hazed by his teammates after a practice during spring break, police said.

The student was taped to a bench in the locker room while other team members allegedly placed their genitals around the face of the victim, Batavia Detective Sgt. Glenn Autenrieth said.

“We don’t have actual touching,” Autenrieth said. “The victim had his eyes closed and reported that he had not felt anything.”

The incident occurred at 5:30 p.m. March 27 when students were off for break, he said.

Autenrieth said the parents of the victim wanted the school to handle discipline internally, so while there will be a report, the parents do not want to pursue criminal charges against the participants.

“A faculty member called police,” Autenrieth said. “The police liaison officer did not get wind of it until April 2 when school was back in session. He got together with other administrators and started tracking down all the parties involved, talking to students, witnesses, participants and the victim.”

Autenrieth said five or six sophomore boys were involved. They received out-of-school suspensions and were suspended from some baseball games, but not removed from the team, he said.

Autenrieth said coaches were not present during the incident.

Batavia Athletic Director Dave Andrews did not return voice mail messages seeking comment.

Batavia School District 101 Superintendent Jack Barshinger said he could not acknowledge that anything happened because it would violate a student or employee’s confidential information.

“I cannot confirm that it happened or that it’s a fact,” Barshinger said. “It would be illegal and wrong to do so.”

But speaking in general, Barshinger said coaches are supposed to be in a supervisory role at all times with their teams. He said hazing is not allowed at school.

“Bullying or hazing is not tolerated in any form or function for staff and students,” Barshinger said. “Every student signs off on the handbook, and athletes sign off on the code of conduct.”

The district has conducted anti-bullying presentations for students and staff. Barshinger said officials plan to highlight the issue more clearly in the code of conduct.

According to the district’s student handbook, hazing is considered a level-four offense, which is considered “gross misconduct and acts which endanger others.” These include “gang activity … assault, battery, fighting, harassing or hazing of other students or school personnel … theft, extortion or vandalism [and] gross insubordination.”

The handbook defines hazing as “to irritate, to annoy, to oppress, punish or harass by forcing to do hard and unnecessary work; to initiate or discipline by means of horseplay, practical jokes and tricks, often in the nature of humiliation or painful ordeals.”

Punishments listed include a minimum of out-of-school suspension for five days for a first offense, a minimum of 10 days for a second offense, and recommendation of expulsion for a third offense, according to the handbook.

“It’s unfortunate,” Autenrieth said of the incident. “It was very bad judgment, unacceptable. What were they thinking?”