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24. HITTING THE BALL A SECOND TIME.
When considering the act of a batter hitting the pitched ball a second time,
umpires should place the act into one of three categories.
A. If the bat is in the hands of the batter when the ball comes in contact
with bat, and the batter is in the batter's box, it is a foul ball. If, when
the bat contacts the ball a batter's entire foot is completely outside the
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RULES SUPPLEMENT
batter's box, the batter is out When in doubt, don't guess the batter
out. Call a foul ball.
B. If the bat is out of the batter's hands, dropped or thrown, and it hits the
ball a second time in fair territory, the ball is dead and the batter-runner
is out. However, if the BALL hits the bat on the ground, the batter is
not out and the umpire must then determine whether the ball is fair or
foul based on the fair / foul rule. If the ball rolls against the bat in fair
territory, the ball remains live. If the ball stops or is touched in fair territory,
it is a fair ball. If the ball touches the bat in fair territory and then
rolls to foul ground and stops, it is a foul ball. If the ball rolls against
the bat in foul territory, it is a foul ball.
C. If a batter swings at and misses the pitched ball but:
1. Accidentally hits it on the follow-through, or
2. Intentionally hits it on the second swing, or
3. Hits the ball after it bounces off the catcher or mitt / glove.
The ball is dead, and all runners must return to the base they
occupied prior to the pitch. (FP, SP with Stealing and 16" SP) In
(2) and (3), if the act is intentional with runners on base, the batter
is called out for interference. If this occurs on strike three in fast
pitch, Rule 8, Section 2F has precedence.
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