umpire hit by batted ball deflected by the pitcher
 

NFHS rules
I have scoured the book.
I find definitions but cannot find the result.

In the index, there is a mysterious citation for rule 3-3-1f which addresses video monitoring.

So, here is the play.

No outs R1 on 3rd
Ball deflects off the pitcher and hits my partner on the foot. Please note:I kept my mask on so as not to let one I was laughing at him.

What is the correct call?

Thanks

Play the bounce. When the ball is deflected, 5-1-1-f-1 (ump interference) no longer applies, and when the ball hits the umpire, it is no longer in flight.

Dead when it touches an umpire before touching any fielder, or passes any fielder other than the pitcher. Play on McDuff.

I get that it is dead ball.

Send the runner back to third and place the batter on first is what we did. However, the NFHS book is not easy to navigate. I cannot find confirmation that I am right about this.

On the deflection, play on.

ART. 1 . . . Ball becomes dead immediately when:
f. a fair batted ball:
1. touches a runner or an umpire before touching any fielder and before
passing any fielder other than the pitcher,

The Table on Page 35:

Activity: 14. Fair batted ball touches umpire before it touches a fielder
or passes any fielder except the pitcher ............................................. 5-1-1f

Awards or Penalties: 14. Runners return to bases occupied at time of pitch unless forced by
batter-runner. Batter awarded first base and credited with a single . 8-1-2b

I was unable to see this until I could search it on an online copy...just could not see it.

So, we got it right.

No, you got it wrong. The ball is live. There are no violations, and no base awards.

No. The ball is still live because it did not "touch a runner or an umpire before touching any fielder". The runner should not have been returned to 3rd and the B/R should have been safe or out depending on the actions of the defense. CT1, dash_riprock, and RPatrino have all told you this already.

ART. 1 . . . Ball becomes dead immediately when:
f. a fair batted ball:
1. touches a runner or an umpire before touching any fielder and before
passing any fielder other than the pitcher,

It touched an umpire before a fielder other than the pitcher.
Ball is dead

Let me try this another way:

"touches a runner or an umpire before touching any fielder and before
passing any fielder EXCEPT the pitcher,"

The ball touched a fielder before it touched an umpire. The ball is live.

The ball hit my partner before passing any fielder(expect the pitcher) how is the ball not dead?

It did not pass the first baseman
It did not pass the second baseman
It did not pass the shortstop
It did not pass the third baseman

Not in this case, roscoe. This fielder was the exception specifically spelled out in the rule. The pitcher is the exception here.

How can the rule say he is the exception if you think he is not the exception?

The pitcher is the exception for the ball passing an infielder. There is no exception for a ball touching an infielder (including the pitcher).

Love,

Roscoe.

Ok, I was seeing the exception for both. We got it wrong. They should have made that two different sentences.