Pitched Ball hits dirt then batter: Hit by Pitch?

[Rick Win]

Simple (?) question from a Youth League (9-10) manager -- If a pitched ball first hits the dirt before striking the batter, is (1) the batter "Hit by Pitch" and awarded first base or (2) the pitch a "Ball" and "live" in-play (assuming the batter didn't swing) or (3) something else? We had this happen to us in consecutive games with different calls by the umpire.