Batter Leaves the batter's box & HBP

[jdmara]

I had a gentleman ask me the correct ruling on a situation that happened in one of his lower level high school games last week.

2-2, R2, and 1 out. Pitcher starts his delivery and the batter, without being granted time, steps out of the box with ONE FOOT. The pitcher legally delivers and the pitch strikes the batter. Ruling?

Honestly, I'm stretching here a little bit but I believe using the following citations I have a dead-ball (because the pitch touched the batter) and a strikeout.

6-2-4d-1: The umpire shall call the pitch a strike

8-1-1d: a pitched ball hits his person or clothing, provided he does not strike at the ball; or:... if the umpire calls the pitched ball a strike, the hitting of the batter is disregarded except that the ball is dead.

What do you all think?

-Josh