Batter Hitting Ball while out of Box

[tibear]

Pretty sure I got the call right but just want to confirm. OBR ruleset.

For the second time in my career I called a batter out for hitting a ball while out of the batters box. Right handed batter, with R1 stealing on the pitch. Catcher is setup outside anticipating a steal. Batter steps across plate and is actually straddling home plate when he bunts the ball.

I immediately call the batter out. Defensive manager comes out looking to have runner return to first because I left R1 at second.

I checked the rule book but it doesn't say anything about calling time, dead ball, or returning runners to TOP base.

Was I correct??

[johnnyg08]

did you call interference or simply call batter out for being out of the box? I think (not 100%) but if you have an immediate dead ball, runners can't advance on that...runners would return to time of pitch base...otherwise, offense could just commit interference as a method of sacrifice...just a thought...you may have missed this one...let's see what others think.

[UmpJM]

tibear,

If you call the batter out under 6.06(a) for illegally batting the ball with at least one foot entirely outside the batter's box and on the ground, the ball is dead immediately and any runners return to their TOP base.

5.09 The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without liability to be put out, when—

...

(d) A ball is illegally batted; runners return;

JM

[tibear]

Looks like I botched one.

It didn't make sense that the offense would screw up and gain an advantage but 6.06(a) didn't have a comment (like 6.06(c)) which specifically dealt with the runners.