One I hadn't seen before

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Dec 19, 2021
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Our parents and coaches had quite a bit of discussion on this call yesterday. We'll see what the experts here think.

Situation:
AFA tourney, 14u
Runner on, 2 out, 2 strikes.

Pitch comes.
Batter swings, misses.
Ball hits catcher's mitt (could have been helmet, but didn't sound like it) and pops up and a bit forward.
On the batter's follow thru, the bat hits the ball (again, after the ball had bounced off the catcher).
Ball rolls down the 1st base line in foul territory.
Batter meanders towards 1st.
Catcher pursues the ball, picks it up in foul territory, and throws to 1st.
Umps huddle, call the batter out and we switch sides (3rd out).

Then it gets funny.
Their coach comes out to argue. Umps huddle again for a long time and ultimately call it a foul ball and everyone goes back to where they were. That batter got hit by pitch 2 pitches later, then the next batter struck out. We went on to run rule them in 3 inning, so it didn't matter, but I think our girls were pretty fired up after that.

What's the call?
 
Jun 20, 2015
848
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well, that's certainly an interesting case scenerio. certainly dropped 3rd strike, but I don't know implications of bat hitting ball in the follow thru, especially if it's obviously accidental contact.

I'm looking forward to hearing discussion on this one.
 
Dec 15, 2018
809
93
CT
Batter out. Dropped 3rd strike. Interference.

Agreed.

Using USA rules, if the batter swings and misses at a pitched ball, but hits the ball after it bounces off the catcher...
The ball is dead.
The runners return.
If the act is intentional with runners on base, the batter is out.
If it occurs on strike 3, intentional or not, it is interference with dropped third strike, and the batter is out. (RS#24 and 8.2.F)
 
Dec 19, 2021
259
43
Well, D3K followed by interference is what our parents thought too. We didnt give blue a hard time and they were good the rest of the game (and the next one), and of course we ran off 15 straight runs after this.
 
Oct 11, 2018
231
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Ball hit on the followthrough is a dead ball strike. In USA Softball see Rue 7.4.I below and the effect. In this case since it was strike 3, batter out, end of inning.


H. For each pitched ball swung at and missed which touches any part of the batter.
I. If a pitched ball is swung at, missed, and then hit on the follow through.
J. When any part of the batter’s person or clothing is hit with a batted ball while the
batter is in the batter’s box and (FP) has fewer than two strikes.
K. When a legally pitched ball hits the batter while the ball is in the strike zone.
L. When a pitched ball is prevented from entering the strike zone by any actions of the
batter other than hitting the ball.
Effect - Section 4H-L:
1 The ball is dead.
2 A strike on the batter.
3 Each runner must return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.
 
Aug 25, 2019
1,066
113
Ball hit on the followthrough is a dead ball strike. In USA Softball see Rue 7.4.I below and the effect. In this case since it was strike 3, batter out, end of inning.


H. For each pitched ball swung at and missed which touches any part of the batter.
I. If a pitched ball is swung at, missed, and then hit on the follow through.
J. When any part of the batter’s person or clothing is hit with a batted ball while the
batter is in the batter’s box and (FP) has fewer than two strikes.
K. When a legally pitched ball hits the batter while the ball is in the strike zone.
L. When a pitched ball is prevented from entering the strike zone by any actions of the
batter other than hitting the ball.
Effect - Section 4H-L:
1 The ball is dead.
2 A strike on the batter.
3 Each runner must return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.
Yes, but does the ball hitting the catcher after the first swing negate all
this?
 
Dec 15, 2018
809
93
CT
Yes, but does the ball hitting the catcher after the first swing negate all
this?

7.4.I is expanded upon in RS#24 which I quoted part of.

RS#24 distinguishes b/w
"If a batter swings at and misses the pitched ball but:
1. Accidentally hits it on the follow through
2. Intentionally hits it on the second swing
3. hits the ball after it bounces off the catcher or mitt/glove"

But, both are true. The batter has hit the ball on the follow through, and in this case hit it after it touched the catcher. The ball is dead. It is a strike. It is a dropped strike. 8.2.F applies. It is interference with the dropped strike. The batter is out.
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
Ball hit on the followthrough is a dead ball strike. In USA Softball see Rue 7.4.I below and the effect. In this case since it was strike 3, batter out, end of inning.


H. For each pitched ball swung at and missed which touches any part of the batter.
I. If a pitched ball is swung at, missed, and then hit on the follow through.
J. When any part of the batter’s person or clothing is hit with a batted ball while the
batter is in the batter’s box and (FP) has fewer than two strikes.
K. When a legally pitched ball hits the batter while the ball is in the strike zone.
L. When a pitched ball is prevented from entering the strike zone by any actions of the
batter other than hitting the ball.
Effect - Section 4H-L:
1 The ball is dead.
2 A strike on the batter.
3 Each runner must return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.
Yes, but does the ball hitting the catcher after the first swing negate all
this?
Absolutely not.


Sorry, I had to read that exchange a couple of times.

"All of this" was not the point to be focused on. Just "I. If a pitched ball is swung at, missed, and then hit on the follow through." and then the "Effect."

Maybe I'm the only one that was confused, but I felt the need to point that out. Part I refers exactly to what the OP described. I was rather confused by @Strike2 's reply until my brain finally stopped tripping over itself.
 

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