Look Ma! No Hands! (bunt)

[mikebran]

I know this is umpire lore, but I have never HAD to answer it, but actual TRUE FACT it just happened. (Not to me, but reported by an Assoc Member). IS there an accepted proper ruling?

R3. 1 out. Suicide Squeeze is ON! Pitch to LH batter is way outside. Batter maintains his position IN BOX but his lunge across releases bat and BAT sans any hands or human contact contacts pitch in flight prior to reaching front plane of plate. Ball goes 4 feet ahead in fair territory. Bat falls to ground. R3 crosses plate... pitcher fields and throws to first.

Or short version, can you "throw" a bat at a ball legally?