If a player slings a bat is it an out

by Austin Wallace
(Franklin county, ms)

Austin asked: Player up to bat swings and hits the ball and lets the bat fly into the fence.

Is he/she counted out?


Rick answered: Austin, thank you for your question.

This is one of those situations which come up, that become, for the most part, determinations by the umpires as to intent by the player.

Should it be determined that the player simply lost control of the bat, usually just a verbal warning.

The rule in the high school rule book: 3-4m...deliberately throw a bat, helmet etc;

Penalty: The umpire shall eject the offender from the game. Failure to comply shall result in game being forfeited. The ball is immediately dead, if on offense, the player is ejected and declared out, unless he/she has already scored.

The rule is there to back up the decision; but it is not cut and dried.

Umpires have to take all circumstances into consideration, then come to a justifiable decision.

It would be possible to be a 3 step process, whereby on the first offense, they determine it was an accident, give a warning.

If it happens a second time, batter is out.

Third time, ejected.

It is not an automatic out or ejection, if the umpires feel it was accidental, it would be a warning.


Yours in baseball,

Rick