Rules question

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Girl at first. Batter lays down a bunt, ball hits the bat and her fingers. Ball rolls fair. Third baseman makes play to first. Girl drops her bat and doesn't run. Sacrifie complete. Umpire behind plate calls dead ball orders the girl back to first and strike two. Is this the right call? I don't know if it matters, but the hand was over ther plate when it was hit. I know the hands are not part of the bat, but if they are hit in the process of swinging or attempting to bunt, and the ball is hit fair, I thought it was a fair ball.

 

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Sounds like the right call.

Anytime the ball touches the batter, the ball is immediately dead. So whatever happens after that point is moot. It is impossible to have a legally batted ball or an advance by a runner once the ball touches the batter. The runner on base would have to go back to first.

Sometimes it's hard to tell if the ball hit the batter's hand or the bat first, but it really doesn't matter on this one. Here are the options the umpire has to consider:

- Ball hit bat first, then the hand. This is a dead ball and since the batter was still in the box, it is a foul ball.

- Ball hit hand first, then the bat. Dead ball on the hit batter, then a strike either because the batter was hit while attempting to contact the pitch or she was hit on part of her body that was in the strike zone.

Good call, Blue!

 

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I second the "Good call". I saw this called incorrectly just a week or so ago. Ball hit player's fingers in the strike zone, rolled fair, player stood there, catcher threw her out at first base, inning over.

The umpire probably didn't see it hit her hands, but we sure heard it, and she made no attempt to run as she stood there with tears welling up in her eyes. Poor kid. I saw her in a lawn chair after the game and her fingers were terribly swollen.

 

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Thanks Bretman. I'm glad the call was right. The funny thing was both coaches wanted wanted the wrong call. One wanted the second out and the other wanted the runner at second. First time I saw both coaches wanting the same call.

 

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Thanks bretman