Need more info on Ruling

[SoCalDad]

I am having trouble finding the ASA rule(s) on the following that happened on Saturday. Other teams batter bunted the ball. The bunted ball hit the ground in fair territory. The batter then dropped the bat in front of the batter's box fully in fair territory. Ball rolled back into bat before any fielder touched the ball. Ump calls dead ball, batter out and returns runner to 1st. Any guidance as to which rule(s) is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[cshilt]

There is a rule against the bat contacting the ball in fair territory, but it must be ruled intentional for interference to be called. Typically a bat is considered part of the field unless, in the umpires judgment, it was discarded in an attempt to cause a fielder to misplay the ball. Usually the guideline is "did the ball roll into the bat, or the did the bat roll into the ball?"

Reading your description I'd say the rule was misinterpreted. Bretman, if he reads this, can give a better description.

 

[Coach Al]

I think the ump "blue" it with the call. It is not interference unless the umpire believes there was a deliberate attempt to interfere with the ball. If it happen the way you say, it was a bad call. Its in the batting section of the rules.

 

[SoCalASABlue]

Sounds like your umpire forgot about the exceptions to ASA Rule 7, Section 6, Item K.

ASA Rule 7, Section 6, Item K, Exception 2 states when the batter drops the bat and the ball rolls against the bat in fair territory, and, in the umpire's judgment, there was no intent to interefere with the ball, the ball is live.

 

[SoCalDad]

Sounds like your umpire forgot about the exceptions to ASA Rule 7, Section 6, Item K.

ASA Rule 7, Section 6, Item K, Exception 2 states when the batter drops the bat and the ball rolls against the bat in fair territory, and, in the umpire's judgment, there was no intent to interefere with the ball, the ball is live.

Thanks. That was what I was looking for. Since the ruling went my DDs team way I personally thought it was a great judgement call. Obviously the other team did not.

 

[ctfastpitch]

I think that if the bat hits or rolls into the ball, the batter is out, regardless of intent. If the ball rolls into a stationary bat, the ball is live, unless the umpire feels the batter intentionally placed the bat to interfere with the ball (e.g. to prevent a spinning bunt from rolling foul).

So maybe the umpire in your situation felt that the batter purposely dropped the bat so it would block the ball from going foul. That would be the only valid reason to call her out. Did it look like she dropped it in a odd place, given the direction she was running?

 

[SoCalDad]

The play happened so quickly I am not sure if the bat was moving. The bunt had a ton of backspin and when it hit the bat it popped up a bit. That might have triggered the umps call. It appears this falls into that grey area of judgement and could have gone either way.

 

[MTR]

Sounds like your umpire forgot about the exceptions to ASA Rule 7, Section 6, Item K.

ASA Rule 7, Section 6, Item K, Exception 2 states when the batter drops the bat and the ball rolls against the bat in fair territory, and, in the umpire's judgment, there was no intent to interefere with the ball, the ball is live.

This doesn't belong in Rule 7. If it is a fair batted ball, you need to move on to Rule 8 because you are now dealing with a BR, not a batter. An argument could be made for 8.2.F.5.

However, due to the conflict, I'm going to let RS 24 for the ruling which after all this is simply, bat hits ball, int; ball hits bat, play on.

Intent is irrelevant especially since there is not requirement for the batter to discard the bat.