BR contacting ball in Batters box

Batter in Right Hand Batter's box, lays down bunt that rolls just inside front line of Left Hand Batter's Box. The now Batter Runner heading to 1B steps on the ball, tripping and falling down. When contact was made both of the batter runner's feet and the ball were in the left hand batter's box. What do you call? Other than the batter runner clumsy. Foul Ball or Dead Ball BR Out?

[youngump]

Originally Posted by softball_junky

Batter in Right Hand Batter's box, lays down bunt that rolls just inside front line of Left Hand Batter's Box. The now Batter Runner heading to 1B steps on the ball, tripping and falling down. When contact was made both of the batter runner's feet and the ball were in the left hand batter's box. What do you call? Other than the batter runner clumsy. Foul Ball or Dead Ball BR Out?

It's probably time for me to read my rulebook again since the season is drawing close, but I believe you have a BR hit by the ball in the batters box which is a foul ball. I can't recall any exception just because the BR moved into the ball.
________
Jenny_For_You

[NCASAUmp]

Wow... Didn't we just spend 2 weeks hashing over something like this?

ASA - If the ball's in fair territory at the time of contact, I've got a dead ball and a BR that's out. If it's in foul territory at the time of contact, you've got a foul ball due to a technicality. Since it's not a fair ball, the person who hit the ball isn't a BR yet. Since they're not a BR just yet, they can't interfere. Contradictory, I know, but that's how it goes.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by softball_junky

Batter in Right Hand Batter's box, lays down bunt that rolls just inside front line of Left Hand Batter's Box. The now Batter Runner heading to 1B steps on the ball, tripping and falling down. When contact was made both of the batter runner's feet and the ball were in the left hand batter's box. What do you call? Other than the batter runner clumsy. Foul Ball or Dead Ball BR Out?

While plenty of people seem to get confused, this isn't that difficult. The definition of a Foul Ball makes a ball that hits the batter in the batter's box a foul ball. It doesn't grant a batter-runner the right to run into a fair ball.

Use the same decision process as if the ball hits the bat or the bat hits the ball!! If the ball hits the batter in the box, foul ball (read definition of foul ball). If the batter-runner runs into the ball, rule based on the location of the batted ball. If the ball is in fair territory (extended foul lines to rear point of home plate) at the point of contact, interference, batter-runner is out. If the ball is in foul territory at the point of contact, it is a foul ball.

The location of the batter's feet are immaterial if the batter-runner runs into the ball; they only matter if the ball comes back and hits the batter.

[Rachel]

Fair ball batters out. The right handed batters box is the one she started in.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Rachel

Fair ball batters out. The right handed batters box is the one she started in.

And Rachel brings up a very good point that I think we kind of took for granted: just because they're in A batter's box doesn't mean they're protected. The only protection they have is if the contact occurs while they are in the batter's box they started in.

That is the question that came up. Is the batter still protected if they leave one batter's box and contact the ball in the other batter's box.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by softball_junky

That is the question that came up. Is the batter still protected if they leave one batter's box and contact the ball in the other batter's box.

No, they are not. If a coach tries to argue that, tell them the batter's not allowed to switch once the pitcher begins their delivery. So either you have an out for switching batter's boxes, an out for INT on a fair batted ball, or a foul ball (if the ball was first touched in foul territory).

Your choice, coach (assuming you already ruled foul/fair).

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by softball_junky

That is the question that came up. Is the batter still protected if they leave one batter's box and contact the ball in the other batter's box.

There's a point clearly being missed. They are not protected if they contact the ball in their original batter's box; the foul ball call is only of the ball contacts them.

In your OP, the batter-runner "steps on the ball". That is interference as long as the ball was in fair territory. Neither batter's box has protection in this play.

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by Rachel

Fair ball batters out. The right handed batters box is the one she started in.

Holey cats!!! Where have you been???

[whiskers_ump]

Originally Posted by Rachel

Fair ball batters out. The right handed batters box is the one she started in.

Nice catch.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by whiskers_ump

Nice catch.

Maybe, but I believe Steve is, and has been, right on point.

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

There's a point clearly being missed. They are not protected if they contact the ball in their original batter's box; the foul ball call is only of the ball contacts them.

In your OP, the batter-runner "steps on the ball". That is interference as long as the ball was in fair territory. Neither batter's box has protection in this play.

Good point, I think you are right on. The batter's box had no bearing in this.