Dropped third strike, batter-runner kicks the ball

[Bfair]

Originally posted by Gre144
I never seen this before. Dropped third strike and batter-runner accidently kicks the ball as he runs towards first base. It probably could be describe better by saying the ball landed in the pathway of the batter-runner as he headed towards first.

Coach screams at me that I should have called the batter-runner out immediately.

1)Could someone direct me to the Fed Rule that would describe how to hand this situation?

2)When is the batter runner considered to be out of the batter's box as he runs towards first? I think that where he is at the time he accidently contacts the ball plays an important part in determining if he is out or not.

From the Fed casebook:

2.21.1 SITUATION C: With two outs, B3 strikes out, but F2 drops the ball, which rebounds into B3's base path. As B3 begins running to first, B3 accidentally kicks ball.

Ruling: B3 is not guilty of interference and the ball remains alive, unless in the umpire's judgment B3 intentionally kicked the ball (8-4).

OBR has some different viewpoints, however.
I believe J/R's is similar to Fed whereas JEA says that if the accidental "kick" prevents F2 from making a play, interference can be called. All consider intentional kicking as interference.


Freix