In a JV game yesterday, the opposing team's pitcher threw a pitch and the ball bounced once in front of the batter and came up and hit him and the ump didn't count it as an HBP, supposedly because it's a dead ball if it hits the ground before it gets there? Am I wrong or should it have been a HBP and the batter takes his base. The ironic thing was their pitcher still ended up hitting him anyway 2 pitches later.

Just because the ball bounces, it is still a pitch, and if it hits the batter, it is Hit-By-Pitch.

If the ball were to become dead because it was pitched and hit the ground before or after reaching the plate, think about how many runners steeling would be called back to the last base they were touching at the time of the pitch. The play as you describe it, is a hit batter, the ball becomes dead and any runners return to the last base occupied at the time of the pitch.

MichaelVA

A ball that bounces could be hit out of the park for a home run. I have never seen it happen but I have seen some base hits on balls that bounced.

Well gee, that would mean there are no wild pitches and passed balls wouldn't it?

Here’s on that happened in a game I was working, I had the bases.

Pitch hits the dirt well in front of home plate, batter steps into the path of the ball to get hit by the pitch. What’s your call?

No attempt to avoid - no HBP

TIME / Ball

If the batter stepped with the intent to get hit, ball.

If the batter stepped trying to get out of the way, but it turned out to be in the path of the ball, award the base.

Benefit of the doubt on this play goes to the batter.