I suspect this "object foreign to the natural ground" has been installed too close to homeplate and in the wrong place in relation to the diamond. It is a backstop fencing that ends about 6 feet behind home plate and has an overhead portion that actually covers homeplate and part of the infield. The other night, a batted ball was popped up over fair territory, hit the overhead and then landed in fair territory. What should the call be?

This would be a ground rule I will cover before the game if I am aware of the circumstance. I would rule this a foul ball or dead ball ( whatever the concensus is between coaches )if it hits the overhead fence over fair or foul territory. No other way, in my mind, to play this for fielders and batters.
If it happens to me the first time I am at this field , I would have to halt play and call it it a foul ball or maybe dead ball. Really need to think it over. But no way would it be a live ball. My humble opinion.

"I would rule this a foul ball or dead ball ( whatever the concensus is between coaches )if it hits the overhead fence over fair or foul territory."

What's the difference, except for the words?

Bob

A foul ball is foul (and is always dead).

A dead ball is dead (and might not be foul).

I believe that would be the difference. :)

If it was a bunt attempt with 2 strikes, big difference.

Not really, it's still a dead ball, foul. On your occasion, it just means the batter is out.

Bob,
You are correct. There really would be no difference. I had time to think this through and when I came back to the thread I realized I had prompted those thoughts.
Any ball that is hitting this obstruction has been batted ( I think that was the poster's intent ) and that is the issue to deal with.
So . . . . bottom line, I am calling this a dead ball - and yes a strike. If it is a bunt attempt that goes high enough to hit the overhead obstruction, then it is a third strike/out for the bunt attempt. Otherwise, foul ball and let's play.
No on else had any input on how THEY would handle it - only on what my approach would be?

We are talking about ground rules to cover a batted ball contacting a backstop that actually overhangs fair territory. It is entirely reasonable for the ground rule to rule this a dead ball, but not a foul ball. This would mean a player attempting a bunt with 2 strikes would not be out with a foul ball if the batted ball contacts the backstop over fair territory.

With few exceptions, and this is not one of them, all batted ball must have a resolution. IOW, you just cannot ignore it. If the batted ball isn't fair or caught in flight, it must be foul. If it isn't foul, it must be in play.

Then there is ASA rule 8.5.H. This rule states that if the batter pops up and the ball comes down on top of the backstop over fair territory, it is a two-base award. :)

Ground rules are just that - local (in the extreme) rules to deal with the grounds. Not quite sand lot, but they can be close.

I've called a few dome games where the dome came down fairly low over the infield and rather sharply over foul territory and the outside wall was just a few feet behind the backstop (which was really just a net).

Ground rules were if a batted ball contacted the dome roof or infrastructure:

1) Over the outfield - live ball, play on, can be caught as a fly ball.
2) Over the infield - dead ball, no pitch (do over).
3) Over foul territory or DBT - foul ball.

I hadn't thought about a ground rule double - nice touch - that would sure cause some discussion! ;)

Yes, but the original post said BATTED ball, not a bunt.

Bob

Speaking ASA

A bunt is a batted ball.