Fair or Foul

[12UParent]

No grousing...DD's team won game...just hoping for some after the fact information.

Batter hit the pitch..travelled approx 2 feet toward third...hit dirt once...bounced into the air in an arc going across the foul line....as it was coming down, catcher (in fair territory close to the line) touches it with glove but does not catch it...ball then hits the dirt just across the line into foul territory.

My thinking..ball was hit fair but did not pass third before going foul....ball then touched in foul territory.....this is a foul ball.

Umpire called fair ball...when questioned, explained ruling as...the ball hit dirt in fair and was touched by a "player in fair territory" in the air....if it had hit the dirt again untouched he said it would have been foul...if catcher had been in foul territory and touched it, it would have been foul.

My question...doesn't the fair/foul ruling depend on actual location of the ball in relation to the field...not the physical location of the player that touches it? It just sounded wrong....thanks in advance for the explanation.