batter/ runner is hit by ball he bunted down 1st base line. umpire calls ball foul but batter/runner is out. Is this correct?

Anonymous asked: Batter/runner is hit by ball he bunted down the first base line. Umpire calls the ball foul, but batter/runner is out. Is this correct?

Rick answered: Thank you for your question.

In this situation, once the umpire has called the ball foul, it immediately becomes a dead ball, nothing additional can happen. Batter returns to hit, any runners on base return to where they started, pitch is recorded as a strike on the batter.

If there were two strikes on the batter, the ball bunted foul would have been strike three, and the batter would be out.

The batter/runner cannot be out for being hit by the batted ball, because it was called foul by the umpire and is immediately dead.

The same rule applies and is why players are taught to lead off in foul territory when on third base, so if they are hit by a batted ball, they are not out.

If they lead off in fair territory and are hit, they are out.

Yours in baseball,

Rick